


Your devotion

by unlikelybutton



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Character Bashing, Harry will heal people and himself, Hermione Granger Bashing, Hogwarts, Home, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Morally Grey Harry Potter, Murder, Ron Weasley Bashing, Slow Burn, Soul Bond, give it time and soon all will be clear, not sorry, sorry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-10-05 23:21:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 25,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17334293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unlikelybutton/pseuds/unlikelybutton
Summary: A simple as it sounds, Harry has finally had enough of the scars, enough of the thoughts rushing through his head. What he needs to do now is to figure out his next move as the Order searches for more than just him but something more sinister.Sirius has left a hole and as he falls apart, the one thing he needs to wait for is the new school year as it brings more than just hope but the home, love and affection that would change how he views himself but the war his parents started so long ago.





	1. The explosion and freedom

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, this is my first story and it has been bouncing around my head for some time and I ended up having the free time to type it out proper and send it out to the world. I really hope you enjoy and I don't have a beta, so all mistakes are my own and have been caused by my incapability to read at 1am. Comments are appreciated, and so are kudos so go at it.

Frankly when he thought that this year would be any different, he should have known that it would be anything but. It was the enigmatic disarray of the Order that should have tipped him off at the end of the summer. The lack of letters and the lack of communication besides the Dursley's was disturbing.

And there was nothing he could do but just to sit and wait for them to respond, to even give a damn. He was there and they knew it, but for reasons he didn’t know, his two best friends in the world cut him off and he was alone once again.

But that wasn’t anything knew unfortunately, he was used to talking to himself and responding, it became a game to him to figure out what other people would say to him, practiced and executed right in his too small bedroom. It was angering that his conversations would lead to places he didn’t want to travel. His loss of contact has made anything he imagined too dark for him to either ignore or accept as some type of truth.

Why would his friends leave him here when they know. From his difficulty eating each new year at school, to his quaking scars. Honestly, it was like Hermione forgot everything that the muggle world taught her and everything that Ron’s father discovered in his long ministry years. He was in pain in his too small leftover bedroom and everything he thought of didn’t leave his mind settled, but made everything the worse for the wear.

The wear that cannot seem to leave him or his thoughts, nor the tingling scar every so often. As not all his scars are simply physical, his godfather, the one thing that has ever given him his solace at life. The one comfort and the single most traumatizing tragedy in his brand new 16 years, even considering what else had happened at Hogwarts. His mind for once was in a state where he could not dissolve the problem with a conversation, a walk, or a letter to a friend.

He was here at a place that put bars on his window, he was being fed by people who slung a belt like it was the new sunscreen in the rising temperature. His trembling frame shook going back to this place every year, but this year took the cake. He was alone grieving the only family he ever knew, even for such a short time, it was some of the most powerful moments in his life, the memories that would fuel his Patronus, but no longer. They would only get him in trouble for crying, and as Ron has said multiple times every year he woke up in the infirmary, crying is for girls. So he held it, to feel the emasculation that he felt was the only thing left, strength that has lead him here and through many battles.

Those battles are also the reason he is here, fighting for Dumbledore got him here and his godfather dead. All he has left now is Moony, but he was sure he knew where he was now, behind the tall frame of Grimmauld Place, the house that housed his would be godfather and gave him his own terrible memories that let him be enveloped by the Potter’s embrace.

He was at a loss at what to do now that, while calm, everything was not right. It was a sight to see his best mate following the rules for once, not even surprised by Hermione, even after years of rules breaking for the betterment of something that started long ago.

The war was still fresh, now even after a year of Voldemort being resurrected, he felt that it was his job to keep the mantle up in a way. But he shook his head at the naivety. It was not his war. It took too many people, and what was he good for other than cannon fodder at this point. He has nothing to go on with after the war is to be ended. All he has been doing is fighting, all he has been doing is breaking with no one there to put him back together when he came ‘home’.

‘Home is where the heart is”, they say, but he hasn’t the faintest to where his is now, he can’t talk himself out of this one now that it is there in the forefront of him mind, body, and soul.

The hemorrhaging is becoming palpable though, at this rate, putting himself back together won’t be possible anymore. The mirror that he looked upon so long ago is becoming once again a dream, but instead the final one.

He doesn't want it to be so. What is he to do but become a lamb to the slaughter. He chuckled morbidly at the imagery he produced, thinking back to his third year to where most of his agonizing love came from. The Hippogriff and that adventure. His godfather is everywhere a this point, as he hadn’t had much of a life before Hogwarts.

Why can’t the world leave him be, hiding had always done him well before he met his friends and the occasional outing to the school’s dungeons. Being a ghost was his forte, and it was a skill he wasn’t ready to let go of for his own purposes and the Quidditch he loved so much.

Crawling further into himself on his bed, he sighed. The small blanket didn’t do much when the summer heat left the air, now that he was accustomed to the heat, it was a freezing hell that no one was the wiser of. Shivering every so often, his thoughts kept trying to many other directions but most lean to the fact that he was alone and along for someone else's ride.

He was here to be a weapon and that was the only real purpose he had left at the moment, softly stroking his fare skin on his hand, he knew that the calluses were there through hard work, and hard work alone brought food to his belly and was the reason that he still breathes. He stopped for a moment. If work kept me alive, how much more do I need to put into to be free.

Freedom as a silly thought though, watching Snape was proof enough. He himself has two masters as Harry does. One to Dumbledore and the other to something darker, in Harry’s case, it was himself.

The longer he was left alone he knew that his mind was wearing down and stray thoughts of dangerous things kept filtering through. Was this how Bellatrix thinks, or even Padfoot. They were both in such a dark place for such a long time., the thoughts they had must have been deadly.

Turning on his side to hold in some warmth, he thought of escape, but took the notion out of his head. The only way he was getting out of here with his wand down stairs was to do a bout of ‘accidental’ magic, and he really didn’t need another Dobby situation to ruin everything all over again. Worse than it ever had been, the Ministry would jump at the chance to break his wand, the tournament really didn’t show them his good side.

And another road he can’t let himself fall down. His mind refused to wirl down this path and he was thankful. The memories were too harsh to even think about. Here the Order was letting him to suffer too.

All around suffering, it was torture to be left alone with these specific thoughts, a murderous intent was spewing and he couldn’t think to laugh at the irony of SPEW. What his friends were, was ridiculous in every sense of the Bogart term.

Rolling to the other side to stop the aching from his ribs, his scratched his head. A shower would be nice, or a piss bath. Eventually one will come. Not the good one he would wager.

Simple niceties didn’t come easier to the Saviour Of The Wizarding World though. He had to wait two months then waste some on recuperation to not stunt the heath he was slowing gaining back. He also knew that every member of the Order Of The Phoenix knew about every detail of his life too. It was to the point that the sides of this war were blurring and the impossibility of both was making him angrier at each moment. They were still using Sirius’ house too, ransacking his memory with their dreadful colours and useless objects that he had to step back for a second. They were desecrating that last tangible thing he had left of Sirius.

The hot rage he felt made the lack of layers seem like the summer heat once again. He stood up and paced the room with little progress as to stop whatever might be happening. It was not as if to disturb them in the sense that he would kick them out, but who was he kidding, it was exactly what he wanted. He wanted back his father in everything but blood. And that old decrepit house was the way to do it.

He felt the smooth skin of his hand and then felt the ridges that marred the other. He won’t ever tell lies again, but only to himself. He was only able to survive by telling lies. They were another moment in time the let him know that he just might be making the right decision. The assurance that he usually got from his friends was left vacant in the air, but he could imagine what they would think and that was quite frankly enough on multiple accounts. Enough was enough and the magic that thrummed under his veins was all the assurance that he would ever need for this moment. He needed to stop lying to himself and his magic of what he might really be.

He connected the dots, the misuse of magic here at the Dursley’s was an excuse. The misuse of magic on his aunt was also an excuse.

Might as well give them another, eh?

His hand rose from his place in his room and wished a Bombarda on top of a Silencio. With all his might, with all his dreams and hopes of an actual future, one happy with a family, his magic for once obeyed him and his whims.

The blow back was awing, considering he didn’t use a wand and had never used wandless magic before in his life. Lowering his right hand, he peered at it. The hand that was unmarred was the reason he had hope for a family, the smooth dainty skin held a name that has been there longer than he could remember. The name gave him hope beyond hope that he could now have a life past Sirius, and he was determined. After hiding this hand so long behind sleeves and gloves, he was ready to approach the person who he knew had his own in the same spot.

No matter the past or the possible future, he would find his soulmate. Hope was there that his soulmate might help him piece himself back together too.

But in the meantime, he picked himself some trousers and a shirt with a jumper that might help him outside. Still hyper aware of the blown open door, and the silence that surrounded everything that could have touched or have been felt by it.

He slid out of his demolished door frame, and started to step quickly down the steps to the landing. Arriving to the cupboard, he stopped then started again after throwing his hand back into his hair quick enough to not stop his task. Unlocking the dead bolt with a silent Alohomora, praising his new found talent, he packed up everything and prayed that Hedwig was still alright spending more time with the Weasley’s. He told her to wait for a response and not to leave till then. It's been just over a week since.

Casting a prayer to her, he grabbed everything he needed and headed out the front door, knowing that the only way he would return would to be in a urn that the Dursley’s would send their thanks with a mix of shite and a dead animal that Petunia found in her prized garden. Simple enough though, he would do just the same to be fair.

He walked to the same stop he was at the first time he met his Godfather, and the first time he took the Knight bus. Hailing it is simple, anyone is allowed to do it, age or not. The stranded part really helps in the description of the service, and the beds too.

Flipping his hood up and telling Stan his destination in a lowered voice, he sat down until he would arrive at Diagon Alley. He needed to find a room in the Leaky Cauldron, and take out some galleons at Gringotts to make his stay last longer than one night from the cash he had on hand. He made the forethought as to have it in the immediate things he needed each year. Transportation and a place to stay was imbued into his soul. A floor has become something he doesn’t want to experience any longer when Vernon gets angry, or his friends think it was time for practical joke and hunt around the castle.

The rise on the bus was especially shaky that night, it seemed that Erney was having more than a sandwich up front, and while yes he did trust, it was only to a mute point. Harry was counting down the seconds and hoping his stop would be next, and not more old ladies who thought that it was a good idea this time of night to go galavanting through the inner alleys of London.

It was exhausting to be worrying about so many things at once, but there wasn’t much to help it. He ended up stoking his hand, a habit he recently picked up when the name became more than a possibility, but a future. A future that he was now very willing to start on and just change things to finally go his way.

Above all, the number one rule in this bus was once you know you face plant, you can never not do it again. So here he was after another jarring impact, not unlike the one two years ago. He picked himself up and looked to the conductor Stan.

“ Here’s your stop, mind ye head”

Harry passed over the sickles and knuts, and clambered down off the bus after the wretched breath of the man passed all over his face. It was enough to make him gag, almost too hard to work through. Straightening his shoulders and his hood, he head to the entrance of the Cauldron and headed for Tom the barkeep.

“Mind if I get a room for the night, maybe more?”, After twirling out of the way of some of the more, famished patrons.

“Sure thing young man, but mind the neighbours, most came back from the Weird Sisters concert. They are a tad, excitable at the moment.” Resigned Tom, he wasn’t even phased from the hooded Harry and the low call of his voice, Tom at this point must have been used to it. Harry took it as a win in his books, no matter how small. He couldn’t risk people knowing who he was and the possibility of waking up with the Prophet in his bed.

That was a bedbug no one in their right mind would want biting at their neck for the next juicy story to dissolve and prepare for fanatics.

What he wanted right not though, was a bed and some dreamless sleep potion, but at the moment only one of those are not tightly regulated, so asking Tom for a charm, he followed his only belongings in the whole world to his room. Stepping inside we was able to see even now how much of a step up he took going to a moderate pub and night cap.

It was just a feeling but even as the sounds of partying guests filtered through the walls and from every other direction, they were sounds that he welcomed. Turning on his side once again with the monster house behind him, he was ready for the next day.


	2. The bank meeting and alley way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well here it is sooner than promised. I hope you enjoy it. All mistakes are my own and I do take great care in them as they are my craft. Comments and Kudos, don't be shy.
> 
> Heads up - Whygnot is pronounced why not. Enjoy

The aches he felt when he usually woke up in the morning were gone and what was left was a satisfying pop of the back that Harry sighed to. It was a pleasurable feeling that eased him.

When he took his glasses from the side table he was able to see the room he rented in the daylight. It was still as musky as it was years ago, but still welcome. It was also nice to now from the lack of sounds around him that the party crew calmed down and that the Prophet may yet to discover where he’s at for the moment.

The lack of the Order was welcomed just as much. He was sure that even if they wanted to, he wouldn’t be around by the time they heard Vernon hollering and Petunia screeching as they find out their… Nephew…. Is missing.

But that's a later worry as his stomach started to grumble a familiar pain. It's been a month since he’s had a proper meal, so the damage is less than what it would have been when he went back to school. The simple favours in life, he’d be able to enjoy more than what would have catered to a nutrition plan.

He got up and dressed back in his jeans, shirt, and jumper to head down to the main lobby to get his hands on some food. Creaking open his door, he turned around to lock it with a wave of his hand then headed to the main floor.

When he arrived, Tom was washing shot glasses with a scrub brush and flipping the chairs back on the floor for the breakfast rush that would start in an hour or so. His habit from waking up early to make breakfast has been ingrained in him and he doubts he will let that go.

Speaking low again to Tom, he orders the regular plate with some green tea to settle his stomach.

“Hey young man, what brings you down here so early on a Saturday morning. You’d think that sleeping in would be a god send from the racket last night.”

With a low drawl to his voice harry replied, “ Ah, I’m used to the noise, when you live with people who snore,well it’s nothin much any more”.

With a shake of Tom’s head, he went back to get Harry’s breakfast and set it on the table. It was a smattering of food that would cure any hangover and help the pit from digging any further in stomach. Tomatoes, pancakes, bacon, and some hash browns really make you feel good after a long night.

Thinking back on what actually happened, Harry was very concerned with the fact that the Order may be looking for him. Mrs. Figg had always kept a closer eye on him than most, so it’s not hard to assume that she’s along side the crew. It was disheartening as well to know that, she was there and saw the aftermath of what the Dursley’s did to him on and off. For Merlin sakes she helped patch him up herself. The old hag, he’d have to keep an eye out for her, that’d be simple enough, find the cats and there she would be, waiting to tell him a story and spin another tale.

Spinning his fork around the plate to make a figure with a mashed torso and cake legs, he thought about how he might get back up to physical shape as well.

“Maybe a trip to St. Mungo’s would help”

He sighed and got up while dropping the change on the table and went back up to his rooms to collect is vault key. Going through his trunks, he came the misshapen realization that he did not have it here or on his person. It was a dreadful feeling to have, it was his only way he was able to do anything remotely healthy.

He went thrashing through everything he owned, to go as far as looking through his school books for the thick and bulging key. He crashed on the floor while no thoughts running through his head, nothing at all.

“All these plan’s… nothing can happen if I can’t get to my vault. But even then with how much is left, I don’t know if i’ll have enough for my last year. Or even after.”

He just sat there on the floor until he picked himself up again, he held himself firmly then a wave of resolve came over his being. He just needed to get to the bank and they would surely recognize him. 

So fixing up all his belongings he head down the stairs of the pub to go ask Tom to open the door for him. As he did so, the magical entity of Diagon Alley was ahead of him. He stepped through and carried on his way to the fork on the road. The tall and imposing building was in front of him with Goblin Guards along each side of the doors. With a flip back of his hood, he walked in.

Collecting himself, he went to the head teller to see if there was anyway that he could have the problem with the key fixed. As it was still the summer time, many people were filtering in and out of the main room with children following along. You could hear the sounds of small kids laughing at the looks of the Goblin folk, and their parents hushing them to move everything faster along.

Harry shook his head and he was disappointed. Caring so little for the beings that held your money, it was plain suicide to be honest. They were in control of the interest and where everything really went in end. So Harry stood tall and kept his face passive, it was better than wearing his heart on his sleeve, especially with the problems he had at the moment. Without using his wand that past day, his body has actually felt a little better than it had in awhile. The kinks he had along his back was finally becoming easier to deal with.

A few moments later, the Goblin in front of him was free. So with his normal voice, “ Hello, I was wanting to speak with my accounts manager today. But there's a problem as I ended up losing my key quite recently. Is there anyway around that?”.

“Why yes, but there will have to be a test to tell us if you are who you really say you are. We haven’t been the most trusted bank in the Wizarding World for nothing, you shag carpet.” Was the gravel voice that was coming out of the creature in front of him.

Ignoring the comment,” What kind of test may I ask?”

“A blood test, don’t you know this? It’s simple etiquette here at the bank.”

“ I’m sorry but I’ve only been here a couple times before hand, I’m not used to everything.”

“Why that’s no excuse”, he called, “ Every witch or wizard is indoctrinated to the way we run things the first time around, even children you age and younger. It is simply impossible and frankly I can’t help but laugh at this.”

“I-I don’t understand, I’ve never been taught anything about Gringotts. I never thought to ask nor mind you!”

“Well then that’s just plain stupid….. Follow me if you will. I’ll perform this myself”, he then carried on to mumble, “ this better not have happened again”.

Missing what the goblin previously said, he tailed behind the Goblin, twisting and turning through the many hallways that seemed to sprout out of nowhere. It was worse when he ended up bumping into a Goblin and Wizard pair, it was certain that he could never go back without the gruff Goblin below him, so he set himself straight and ran to catch back up.

As a few more turns came along, all at once it stopped when they arrived to an ordinate door and after a wave of a hand, the door opened without a creak. The Goblin ushered him in and sat him down in the left of two matching chairs facing a desk. The whole office was neat and tidy but comparably small to the large tesk that sat in the middle. It was disorientating to absorb the simple office compared to the hallways.

“Now that we’re here let’s get on to this problem,” grabbing a the single piece of parchment that laid on the table along with the quill resting next to it, the Goblin passed it to Harry,” if you will, sign here,” pointing to a ling at the end of the missive,” it’s a form of a wizarding oath, if you are who you say you are… and that’d be?”  
“ Harry James Potter.”

“Mr. Potter, then when you cast a Lumos, you will still have your magicks, and if you are not who you claim to be, well let’s say Azkaban will gain another Squib.”

With the finality of what the Goblin said, his took up the quill. He brought his hands to the line, “ I can’t cast a Lumos, I’m underage, Is there any other way?”

“No, but the Ministry is unable to Follow the Magic within the bank, you are safe there.” 

Harry with as much courage he could garner up, he wrote his name in the neatest writing he could manage while still under pressure. As he wrote the last ‘r’, the parchment began to glow a soft light, then went back as if it hadn’t at all. Harry took up his neglected holly want and spoke the incantation.

“Lumos,” after that, nothing happened. Besides the regular glow of the spell, it seemed everything was in order. The Goblin grinned and took the parchment away with a snap of his fingers, most likely to never be seen again.

“I see now, Lord Potter-Black, I can easily give you-,”

“Wait what, Lord?!? What do you mean Lord?”

With a hard glare at being interrupted, the Goblin sighed. “For future reference my name is Whygnot, remember it Lord Potter-Black. I’m going to be your accounts manager from now on and it will all go smoother if you would let me explain.” with a petulant glare from Harry at being shut down so fast, Whygnot carried on with more understanding than when the two walked in with.

“Young Lord, it seems you have been ill-informed at what your birthright entails of being James Potter son and Sirius Black’s Godson. You know of the sacred 28 yes?.. Good. Those families have titles that comes along of being part of them. Each head male of the families are to be addressed as lords. Which falls now to you.

Sirius Black left this world without a legitimate blood right heir, but to his luck and yours, the right as godson can take its place for lack of children. Are you following so far Young Lord?”

Harry was staring at him with an unreadable expression that seemed to encompass his entire being, but he nodded his head.

Whygnot began to explain the vaults and the finances of each and everyone that Harry might have missed, because he had never done this before. Whygnot carried on explaining without knowing the storm that was bruising behind Harry’s eyes. The gears and the cogs spinning and spinning. With the shaking of Harry’s fists becoming more visible with each second, Whygnot stopped and asked what any sensible living thing would ask. “ What ever is the matter Young Lord?”

“I never knew any of this,” he spoke softly,” none of this, no one ever told me or thought to care…. Can you please tell me why- why all of this. The multiple vaults, all these expenses? I never even knew of the main Potter’s account, why the hell are there transactions from last week!.... I-I just don’t understand.” He leaned down and held his face in his hands as he rocked back and forth, mumbling and having nothing piece together.

“I myself haven’t the faintest idea as to how any of this happened, I wasn’t the account Manager until today. It worries me greatly, this is just a catastrophic mess of epic proportions. I’ll send down some letters right away Young Lord.” it’s honestly the best that Whygnot could do at the moment, all of these files have been meticulously kept like any Goblin would, but to think that the true owner of the accounts haven’t been the wiser. Under the nose of the Goblin King no less. He had to find the guards and approach Ragnock carefully about this, he could have done anything and have been bribed to do so. He lowest form of payment to a Goblin and bribery. It was pitiful. 

Harry watched Whygnot’s hands glide across the parchment in an unfamiliar scrawl. He felt easier, if only a little bit, that someone was actually now helping him. He rubbed his hands together in a semblance of warmth or even to get a grip on himself. It was a lot to take in, and at the moment it feels as if it’s the cherry on top of a lions den.

Seconds after the missive was shot off with another snap of the fingers Whygnot rubbed the lines of his forehead is obvious anger. It didn’t do Harry any favours so he kept it in check. “Young Lord, have you in the past years you have been attending school, given anyone your key? Even for safe keeping in times of danger or stress?”

It wasn’t a question he was expecting but with the situation at hand, anything must be in play and at the moment, that’s the suspect. He thought long and hard and resigned himself, “ I have, to my magical guardian Professor Dumbledore…. And Molly Weasley.”

Whygnot was a scared shocked at his new account master, it was honestly unheard of of people lending out their keys, but to one such influential person, and a matriarch of a poor family. It doesn’t look good for the Young Lords connections in the wizarding world at the moment.

Calmly he took in Harry’s appearance and mannerisms, “ Young Lord, another thing you should know about the bank is that, not one single wizard should ever give out their key to anyone but direct family. It’s a policy that was put in place to negate such, happenings. One can not trust too much in this world. Your naivety has and will cost you more to fix. It’s doable, but are you prepared to discover more than what you already have, Young Lord?”

It was something that Harry never took into consideration, there was no hard proof on anything, at least not yet. What is he going to do once he realizes what has happened and who was behind it. It was a rabbit hole he wasn’t sure he was ready for, but pride was the only thing he had left.

He looked into Whygnot’s eyes, and nodded. He’s in this world for the rest of his life he has to enjoy it or what would anything be worth. He rubbed his right hand and looked down at the name in the delicate scrawl that was all high birth and reeked Slytherin. He is doing this for him, and as he saw the Goblin fly through papers that came out of nowhere, he knew things must be finally going right, for once in his life.

A couple growls here and there, it was actually a quiet affair. There was a single piece of paper on the great desk that was actually touching it, and not ready to fly off to where the next necessary thought process went to. It was a small piece of paper with a single list of nameless names. They were that way because he already knew them by heart, by the trust he first placed in anyone at all. 

Tears tracked down his face in delicate streams, ones that he wiped off with his jumper. The value of this meeting is insurmountable by cause alone. He was fatally out in the open, and the crows came picking for what was left.

“Whygnot….I want it all. Every last detail…. Every last name. I need closure and then compensation. Do you understand…,” he murmured weakly,” I jus-t need to know. The people that left me here to die.”

Whygnot looked sharply at him, the information he just learned would actually change many different tides and the trust that Harry would have in anyone again, but the name Zabini, that was a name he only heard in whisperings in the halls, the ancient magic that surrounded that family was impossible to overlook. His Young Lord was lucky to have suck a match prepared by Lady Magic herself. It was simply a heating of his palms that let on to anything he was thinking. He was a Goblin through and through, and with the prospect of having young Harry Potter as his main account owner, both of their lives with be changing for the better.

Whygnot was in the middle of a heart attack at this point, but even if any of this killed him, it would have been an honour dying by right of combat. Another would have to fight him for the information, something that his mother always told him about in stories about his Goblin father.

He had to breath carefully as to not disrupt the magic he casted of the documents, but eventually he when through the Potter years while Harry was at school, and only the large stand out smatterings too. He was praised for the single most organized folders in the Goblin circles, but the amount of information was impossible to overcome with any amount of help or quick charms.

He started the summary quill some time ago and the length at which it’s printing, is very concerning.

By the time the papers stopped flying around, the only light source illuminating the office, was the precariously placed candles that let Harry sleep and Whygnot to work out the last few details. Splotches of plates of food littered the desk, half empty cups and a drooling boy curled up on charmed chair to allow more room. A slam upon the table woke Harry up and had him about to dart around the room to see where it had come from.

“ I apologize Young Lord, it’s been a long day for the both of us. And now to get down to business,” he hooded his eyes then looked right into Harry’s,” The final point is… is that Dumbledore has been funnelling money from your accounts to pay for objects, services, and withdrawals. The same goes for Ms. Weasley. I have the final tally of each withdrawal here in the summary, “ Whygnot patted the at least two inch thick folder next to him on the desk,” Whilst there is a considerable amount missing, the interest of your accounts for the decade or so both of them were not in use, accounts for most if not all the missing galleons. 

But the fact of the matter is, is the actual quantity they took over time. I looked through all the files and every transaction there ever was since you were born. But there in no rhyme or reason to anything. The objects, services, and withdrawals mean absolutely nothing. Nothing at all, some of the purchases don’t even make sense as they are recorded in French and Spanish. It took some time to translate those too and all there was was nonsense.

I am so very sorry Young Lord, I’m going to keep on this as long as I can. I’ll have to notify my king as to what has happened. Are you alright with all the present findings on my part, Young Lord?”

Harry was just sitting there taking everything in on word at a time, the injustices that have happened are in a considerable amount as have been found in the summary. Harry nodded his head to Whygnot and thanked him for every last drop of ink he used towards all of this.

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’d like to keep you my personal account manager from the time being as you explained it earlier. I suppose this is more formal yeah? Do you mind if I have a copy of the summary to look at myself?”

“Certainly Young Lord, if it’s within my power, it will be done to the best of my abilities.”

Handing Harry a quick copy of the summary, he was finally able to lead the boy to the main lobby to bid him farewell. From the looks in both of their eyes, nothing would be over soon.

A wave goodbye, let Harry go back to the alley from where he came from. He was lucky that Whygnot suggested that he book his room again around lunch time. He had almost forgot about it in the flurry of information that went in and out of his head. 

It was around 7pm in Diagon alley and families were still out and about finishing off their shopping for the day or having supper. Speaking of which, he had to do the both of those things before he stepped his feet back into the Cauldron.

Walking down with his hood up and face down, he still stuck out like a sore thumb in the wizarding crowd, but people still paid him no mind. Sometimes staying quiet was another way to stay invisible, and at this moment with no glamor, it was all he had to keep afloat. Twilfitt And Tatligs was just a few more steps away to get a new wardrobe, he was quite excited to get rid of the ratty things he was wearing now. While he wouldn’t denounce the muggle fashion, it’s just that he would rather chose to have broken in his own things other than his cousin… Dudley.

Stepping inside to the shop he could tell that it was quiet right away.

“Might be able to sleep tonight after all.”

After the door closed a bell reverberated through the store and a tiered looking woman approached from the back door looking worse for the wear. She had needles sticking out of her hair more than a pincushion. She was frazzled to say the least.

“Hello there young man, what can I get for you today?”

“ Ahh… are you able to do a whole new wardrobe? It’s alright if you can’t i’ll-”

“ I won’t hear such a thing, I’ve been out of my mind the past hour hoping a customer would drop by, and Merlin I’ll look after you better than anyone else on this Alley!” With the statement finished, she lunged like a tiger for the kill and ribbons, measuring tape, and needle upon needles started flying through the room. He somehow ended up on a platform so she was able to get a better look at him through her thick glasses. He wouldn’t doubt that she wouldn’t recognize him, at the moment it looks like she was on the tail feather of a caffeine binge.

He wouldn’t turn her away though, she seemed nice enough and the clothing she already produced in such a short amount of time was promise enough. When the clock struck half past 7, she was done and Harry was at the cash register to purchase his shrunken bags.

She didn’t pull any punches when he said a full get up. There were belts, underwear and a hat or two in the mix. This is the first time he would really be able to have a wardrobe to call his own and make his own. Can’t have something personal without a stain, he thought someone said once.

“That will be 57 galleons, 6 sickles, and 3 knuts. Cash or paper?”

It was a whirlwind at the bank, but even through sorting out all the accounts details, Why Not was able to also explain an alternate payment system that would honestly save him from clambering around with massive pockets for outings. The missive is a piece of paper signed by him with the amount recognized by a shopkeeper, a simple wave of the wand and the currency would appear straight from his account. The piece of paper replacing it for the added acknowledgement of the transaction.

“Paper,” he replied.

She nodded and with in a second the money was plopping on the desk and she was showing him on the street without a goodbye along with whipping the closed signs across in bold letters.

“Well I suppose I’m done there,” in a hurry to get his hood back up, he has to fuss with the shrunken bags to get into his pockets, but luckily, none was the wiser.

He continues down the alley and did the same thing in most of the stores he visited his first day in Diagon Alley.

In Ollivanders, he purchased a dragon hide holster to have on the inside of his right arm. After the rather unenlightening conversation with the wand maker, he carried on his way across the street to get a new chest. The one he had was fraying at the edges and he needed it fixed, but after all this, he might as well buy another and give the other away. The quality leather he got was on par with no other, with his initials surrounding the lock on top. He also got some of the newest charms and runes placed on it just in case. Honestly, it was becoming hard to have his own things and this just gave him the security he needed.

From there he went to Flourish And Blotts to get his new school materials. The letter arrived at the Dursley’s a week before hand so he was lucky to be getting the things now rather than later.

He ended up browsing longer than he should of in some of the sections because once he realized the time, everything was closing for the day. He couldn’t blame them honestly, nor should he question it. It’s god awful having to deal with the wizarding populace at some of their worst times in public. A well deserved break was need for them and him back at the Leaky Cauldron.

Purchasing the rest of the books he was looking at, he started to make his way back to the pub. As he was walking he could see everyone closing up shop, it was an odd sense of self he was experiencing. Something like the twilight zone he heard once or twice. He laughed to himself and a gentleman he walked by gave him a strange look, whether it was for the large mass in his pockets, the hood, the laugh, or a combination of them all, Harry couldn’t care less.

 

He was almost to the pub when he heard something crash into some barrels in a back alley. 

‘Harry just leave it alone, probably just a cat or something,’ but the groan coming from deeper in said otherwise. He didn’t know if it was just him or the feeling in the air, but he walked in knowing he should curse himself rotten from just thinking to do it. But here he was creeping in further to what may be a dead body and no explanation, or something murkier. 

He took out his wand from his new holster, while he wasn’t used to it, it certainly saved time from grabbing from the back of his pants.

He was shaking from nerves he was saying to himself, but when he came upon the scene he wished he hadn’t. There was a body on the ground with matted hair fanning around their head. Many different objects littered the cove, but a broken wand was one of them.

He looked left and right, but no one else was there. It was too small to even be disillusioned in the small space the person was in. He felt it was only then alright to fall to the floor to feel a pulse. Or anything at all to say they were alive.

He moved the dirtied hair out of the way and was shocked at what he saw for a second time in such a short span. The person that was beaten to a pulp was Daphne Greengrass in all her glory. He almost dropped her out of shock. The small cove here housed the Ice Princess of Slytherin.

His mind was whirling once again to try and get her to respond to anything he was doing. He was careful to make sure to not make that much noise or else he would be heard by passer bys. From the sound of him shaking her and feeling for a pulse he heard a groan come from her lips in a fashion that let out all the drool that was collecting in her closed mouth. Her hand came up to her temple in pain while he held her.

Her voice was raspy as she tried to get out a single syllable. The clouds in her eyes started to clear and the first face she saw was a darkened profile of the Golden Boy. With the strength she had, she tried to fall away and move, but all she could produce was a soft whine.

 

Harry knew what was happening and what she just tried to do, and what was he supposed to do. It was a very… delicate... situation.

With the way her body was responding, it was quite clear she wouldn’t be able to move besides the slight quiver here and there. “ Daphne, hey look at me. With the way this is looking your gonna have to stay some place for the night. If there anyone I can call for help?, “ there was the strongest reaction so far, she was scared at that idea, and it was obvious,” well there’s nothing else I can do, I have a room in the Leaky Cauldron with a couch and a bed. I can treat you there with some of the potions I have from school….”

There were tears coming out of her eyes and no sign of saying no. He was able to with some difficulty to collect her belongings in the cove and shoved them in the rest of his jean pockets. Grabbing her by the bottom of her arms, he was able to sling hers around his thin shoulders. The effort from rising to the ground had both of them shaking this time, and with the distance between here and the Cauldron, it’s gonna be more than just Daphne healing after this.

He trucked them through the maze in the alley then lead them to the main one. To any onlookers, he just passed her off as a drunk friend, pained smile or not.

By the time he got them to the entrance of the Cauldron, Harry was sweating up a storm and Daphne barely got back any motor function besides blinking to answer the odd question. He sat them down on some stools before he would start the incline up the steps the second floor. The energy he used to have just wasn’t there anymore and even the toppled over Daphne could see that much.

“ Listen, I’m sorry. I just don’t have a whole lot of energy in me at the moment didn’t eat much,” he ended that one with a laugh that didn’t make the right sound. She could see he missed a meal today, and it wasn’t a one off thing either, her tilted head gave her the view or his torso and the rest of his body. She thought she had a bad one off, but pity hour wasn’t right now. He grabbed her a glass of water and asked Tom to send it up to the room for him.

After collecting more strength, Daphne was easier to help this time. The odd twitch in the leg helped to get it over the steps and he was sure she knew that too. 

‘Any help is great help at the moment’.

The rest of the ride to his bed was simple enough. Thanking Merlin and Morgana, he was able to safely set her down on the bed. With a wave of his hand, he casted a Scourgify on her clothes and hair for the night until she was able to clean herself properly. Pouring water into her mouth and massaging her throat, the raspy whines of before, were coming out in greater color.

‘She seems she was there awhile, probably dehydration.’

Grabbing a healing potion, he again poured it down her throat, and repeated the same actions as last time. Wiping a serious track of sweat off is forehead, he sat down to ask her a question.

“ Do you mind if I take the couch?” He chuckled when she glared at him, and grabbed a quilt from a chair to set over her.

With his last bout of energy, he landed on the couch to be off in dreamland a second later with his own quilt to match hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this was crazy to finish, not gonna lie. But it was worth it in the end. The plans are coming out more clearly now, so theres a better direction this is taking. Comments and Kudos, don't be shy
> 
> Bands that helped me with this are Badblower and Bad Wolves. It was a jam. Hope you enjoy them too.


	3. The magic and Knockturn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, this has been a wild ride, getting the plot moving and having the characters interact is quite the hassle I won't lie. But for all it's worth, the mistakes are all mine.
> 
> Trigger warnings - graphic scenes of violence and injuries.

The rough cough that pulled from his chest was what woke him up. The pain that was in his side two days ago, came back in full force. His mind was still foggy and all he could do was roll to the other side moaning in pain. It took him some time to work through the haze, but when he did, he shot up like a rocket.

“Daphne!!”

He started to look around frantically when the last of the haze was gone. Whipping off his blanket, he stood up, but not without a serious tremor rolling through him.

Daphne was still on the bed, immobile still but as she watched the scene play out in front of her, the lack of use of her voice kept her from yelling his name. The thrashing of the quilt was what woke her, and the scene of pain even made her whimper, her own ghost pains sympathizing with his.

By the time that Harry finally took hold of the side of the couch, he could breathe once more. It was like nothing he experienced before and the trek going into the alley and up the stairs didn’t help worth a damn. He limped over to the side of the bed with his hand delicately holding his ribs with his right arm as his left gilded him over. With a wince, he smiled at her.

“How are you, any pains?”

The irony in that statement was lost to Harry until after he said it, he looked away for an instance then back again searching her face. Besides the aggravated eye roll, it was shocking to him that she could do it all, it was still harder to recognize her with the dirt and grime of the alley cleansed away. Harry placed a had on his own, stroking a cheek.

“H-How, your face…… What happened, Daphne. Is the rest of you like this?!”

What he saw almost made him sick, there was long jagged wounds on the left side of her face emblazoned in infections, the seeping of it almost made it look like soft tears. Tears that carried a black mist all through her clothing. His imagination couldn’t even begin to try to figure out if the rest of her body was just as damaged.

He turned around to get a soft cloth from the bathroom, soaking it in warm water as soon as he could. ‘The dirt must have kept everything in, preventing the leaking, probably taking the scab with it when I cleaned her.’

He walked briskly to get back to the bed. From his taller position he was able to see that while still clothed, if he looked hard enough, there was gaps in her bodice, slits in her skirt, and her own ratty feet on the bottom. He could tell that it was of high quality like his. Harry didn’t walk into Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions yesterday, the nagging conversation he had in passing made him end up thinking less of of her. But the store front and his previous experiences with her made him second guess getting stabbed or hounded for gossip.

 

He had enough holes in him, past and present thank you very much.

Looking into Daphne’s eyes, Harry felt as though she nodded. Preparing himself, he applied the cloth on her face. The pronounced twitch made him almost downright jump back. He looked into her eyes once more to see actual tears flowing from the ducts.

“I’ll get you a pain potion, do I need to get Skele-Gro? Blink twice for yeah...please”

It took almost all of her energy to control the two single blinks that was asked of her. She knew very well that her leg was broken, but he didn’t, and quite seriously, she didn’t need him feeling her up while she came off this curse. Doctor time or not, it became de facto for her after second year coming back from school, she learned her lesson.

Harry was her best bet at the moment, flashes of walking by the school infirmary after a match, filtered through her head. The multiple bottles of potions surrounding him, she silently from the first time always wondered how much knowledge he’d picked up throughout all the years. It wasn’t that he was in lack of time there, he should have been given his own room there from day one.

Having had Harry seen the two blinks, she finally gave up and let the pain filter into her joints, following the path up her back, to her head, she gasped in pain. Wishing she could reach up and take off the cloth, but the energy she had last night wasn’t here to help her again.

If anything, all her magic was welled up inside her, healing her to the best of it’s abilities. It truly was doing all it could, but she had so many injuries, the sickly angle of her leg wouldn’t be cleared to walk on for months or even years at this speed. The gruesome way her own bone was poking her skin, gave her the ghosted feeling of someone else touching her, pressing down until she broke once more. The pain would be there, the laugh too, but now a knight in shining muggle wear was here to ward of the visions of what she knew to be the past.

The tears she was shedding now was for not her physical form, but her mind. The way she presented herself to be. The Ice Princess of Slytherin…. What a laugh. Her friend tracy was the only person she really spoke to, but even she didn’t know of the nightmares that plagued her house. More so than even the Malfoy’s, with their Dark Lord lurking in every corner.

She flicked her eyes over to Harry, in her time thinking he had left her bedside when she writhed in pain. All she could see was Harry frantically going through a small pouch he had in one of the many bags he had. She could have sworn though that he hadn’t had a thing with him last night, but in her agonizing form, she was unsurprised that he did.

Her mouth was hurting from the periodic clenching of her teeth, the damage that her tongue sustained would take up quite a bit of any healing potion. She would resign herself to patient as long as the other member of the room didn’t have any ulterior motives.

Harry had no idea where his potions went to, he had them right here in the bag he purchased with his books, it was nowhere to be found. Retracing his steps, he went from one bag to the other, going through everything meticulously. As he was down to his final bag, his worrying became great. Hide nor hair o it turned up in the last one either. It was at this point, he went from spot to spot in the small room. Stopping for a second, he looked to the bedside, and lo and behold, there it was sitting innocently.

He kicked himself for that mistake, knowing that if he payed greater attention to his surroundings, it wouldn’t have been a problem.

“Here, careful now though, it’s disgusting.” Harry tapped her up with Skele-Gro and pain potion, from his experience, he knew it was easier to heal bones then flesh, with potions. The two combated each other, and from his unintended studious days in the hospital wing, he knew more about these things than others knew. “I don’t have anything to wrap your wounds with, so i’ll have to go out for a few minutes to get them.”

Daphne with all the heart she had left, shook her head, she didn’t want to be alone again. She was in that alley for days, too long she lost count. Her only company was a stray cat, the very one that made the barrels fall the night before. She was thankful that someone was there, more so that it was Harry. She knew he would be keeping a low profile anytime he went out into public, any other would parade her around, and any other wrong person would find out. And that mustn't happen under any circumstances.

The taste of the potion left the garbage undertone on her tongue that she was used to. Melancholy was definitely there, as sad as that even is, she was still here in this room at this time. Harry looked to her and nodded, ‘I can just summon some, I remember the spell that the twins used on and of for the first years last year.’

Daphne was silently watching Harry work, him being blissfully ignorant as he started chanting some nonsense to himself. She saw the name on Harry’s hand while he too was riding in pain from one thing or another, holding his right arm to his chest. She’s spent too long watching others to not see the delicate matching one.

She could honestly say, that she might be the only one to know of the match. Both of the owners kept it closer to them than their own lives. The looks that the look of them exchanged over the years as well cemented all the facts. Even if they avoided each other like the black plague. Zabini knew she knew, it was a respect they had for each other, as her own was to be called unsavoury in the right circles. It was a nice ease they had, Zabini and her. Both out casts for totally different reasons. Hiding their soul marks became second nature, hers with makeup and him with the dragon hide gloves he buys every so often.

As Harry worked, she kept watching him produce fabric in spirits. He was in for the long haul, the fight he would have on his hands for her leg would be pathetic. Her imaginations were taking control of her, not even taking into consideration that she was an invalid at the moment. She didn’t even know how to tell him she was cursed either, but eventually she hoped.

It was just like Zabini to be matched with him too. The soft considerations that he took with the most useless things was like a delicate dance. He was sure in every movement unlike Harry, he was unlike Harry in every aspect, but here they were, expected of vastly different futures, but to be brought together at some point in time.

It was a laugh to even think of these things, as she knew herself, the sidelong looks her own gave her in the hallways in school, made her melt. She wasn’t ignorant to the soul bond, and neither was her match. The first time she actually ran into hers, was the first day of classes at Hogwarts. She was coming around the corner, then all of a sudden, she was on her bum.

Looking forwards to the boy she ran into, he was all rumpled in his clothing, a broken wand laid to the side. She was sure she looked just as bad, but the familiar feeling of her wand seemed to be alright.

She looked up to give a snarky remark or apologize, whichever came to her in a moment of finality. At that moment, she felt the writing start up from the base of her back, ingraining itself into her spine as if it was there all along. The scrawl ended at the start of her neck, and with a shiver, a tear escaped her eye.

She never would have thought she would find her soul bond. It was a fantasy to her as neither of her parents had there’s. It was all so political in high society, that it was rare for purebloods to find their bond. Traveling was almost always necessary, but here she was, looking into the eyes of a boy who had the same tears running down his.

In a choke, her name flowed through her lips. It was completely involuntary, but felt just as right hearing his come out of his own. It was a voice that was used to laughing, listening to conversations that were important, and taking just as much consideration in the person across from him. At that moment, she knew the long name craining from top to bottom.

“Neville Longbottom”.

Shaking herself out of the memory, she looked to Harry once more who was coming back over to her place on the bed.  
“Here are the bandages, I just have to get to the broken bone. Do you mind letting me know which one?”

It was if he expected a full blown response, but she knew there wasn’t much the either of them could do in this situation. So she took the incentive and tried to move her left leg, even an inch, but pain welled up from the spot and started to shake. If he wanted to know, there it was. It wasn’t even worth it to fight what he was giving, something she’s never had before.

It was idiotic to even attempt it, but it got the job done. He lifted the pin skirt along the seem and the eventual rip up the side that was there when he found her in the alley’s cove. Revealing the mangled leg, it was a wonder to hoe the bone never went through the weak skin. He could almost see where the fracture and clean break was. The skin was acting like a film, and the black spots that littered her skin gave the depth of shadow. It was a curiosity as Harry has never seen nor was ever hurt this bad.

He took another pain potion from the pouch and delivered it to her mouth. The extra dose would come in handy, no matter what Madam Pomfrey said. He was here alone with no help, and no way to Saint Mungo's without a portkey. He had to get Daphne better before he even considered moving her in his shape as well. It’d be a communal healing time.

Taking the wrap he had, he prepared himself over her leg, “This is going to be beyond painful…. I’m sorry.”

The quick movements in secession had her reeling in fiery hot hell. She was locked straight as a pin, which allowed Harry to wrap the leg as tight as it needed to prevent to bone from dislodging again.

He set a cooling charm he learnt in fourth year to the leg to offset the swelling. The Skele-Gro needed ample room to work, and the state of the bone pinned, was as best as he could get it.

He stepped off the bed and took a seat on the couch to gather his thoughts, he didn’t have anymore Skele-Gro and he needed to give her the last of the blood replenishing potion he had. ‘Anti-infection cream too, god this is such a mess.’

“What happened to you Daphne….” And with the lack of answer he was expecting, he made a call down to the kitchens for some lunch, as it turns out. He got some porridge for her and the same breakfast that he had yesterday for himself.

It was a task in itself to get any nutrients into her. The repetitive motion of massaging her throat to help her swallow then placing more in, took quite a lot of time.

After a little while, Daphne put her face up to it, sensing she didn’t want it anymore, he set all the food between them aside. He went to go check her leg once more, everything was in check. He plopped down right next to her and gave an exaggerated sigh.” Why aren’t you moving, I’ve gone through some things almost just as bad, and could still move my arms, what happened….. Wait a tick, I’m such a nimrod.” He sprinted to some of the books he had and realized what he was looking for.

It was a more powerful version of the Stupify, it immobilize the affected and could only be reversed when the counter-curse was spoken. It was a strenuous task, reading and finding the spell, but also making sure when he spoke it, it wouldn’t hurt her in a morbid fashion. That would be the worst thing that could happen.

As he was doing so, he talked to Daphne explaining every so often what he was doing, he knew she could hear him, but it soothed his heart having to explain it twice or even thrice over. It was an affirmation that he could do this, teacher her and himself at the same time. It was a easy skill he picked up while teaching the D.A. the year before. It was natural to talk in a tone that allowed easy absorption of the information. The medical skills he was learning was coming out in full force as well. It was all coming back to hm, every small conversation he had with Madam Pomfrey and all her mutterings.

“Daphne, I know this might seem odd, practicing all these spell and taking care of the potions, but I’ve been using wandless magic….. It’s an oddity I discovered I was able to do a few days ago…. The wands we have- er sorry, the wand I have is traceable for the ministry, and I doubt we want them to find the both of us at the moment. I have my own reasons and I’m sure you have yours.

I found the counter-curse but I have to apply it to you a few more times than necessary to make sure it took to the whole of your body, I’m still not used to not using my wand for everything.”

He walked over to her prone form once again, and the pain that was noticeable in her body before, leeched out and seemed drained. He had the book in his left hand opened to the correct page, while his right was held above her making wispy movements. As he started the chant, he could feel the usually build up of magic in his right hand, it would usually go through the wand in an instance. There wasn’t any medium this time, as it was just his pure magic flowing through him. He closed his eyes to concentrate on the words and the feeling of his magic, he had to be able to direct it.

There was no jet of light or anything that went to go touch her body, instead his hand started to have almost steam rise and fly around his right hand. By the third time he released the spell, the steam was warm, almost had a welcoming embrace. Daphne could feel it in the air too, the shadows in the room changed and illuminated where his hand was. It was otherworldly has the fifth try was spoken, there was a breeze in the room as she looked up, and total trust overwhelmed her. It was freeing.

The seventh time was the one. With his hand glowing, the light almost seemed to fall and seep into her body, surrounding every inch as a battle between the curse and counter were fighting for leverage. Who ever casted the curse originally, was powerful and had control with years of experience under their belt. It was practiced and performed, probably many times before hand.

Daphne let out a breath and her whole body moved, it flowed with the action and she sucked in another just as fast. With shaky hands, she pushed herself up as Harry watched the final product of what he did.

Harry was exhausted and utterly drained from hat he just did. It was a surprise that it even worked at all, he had his eye closed until he felt the magic actually leave him. It took so much of him to cast it and here he was falling to the floor to gain more energy back from when he ate lunch side by side with her.

When she opened her mouth, she turned to look at Harry, “ How did you *cough* do that, I’ve never seen anything like that…”

He looked up to her and he had no idea what she was talking about, he just repeated the spell until it worked, while he did feel a build up of magic; the things he didn’t feel was the soft breeze and the complete awe that he inspired in her.

“You were glowing, Harry! It was something I’ve never seen before, even with the simple *cough* wave of a hand for a spark….. It was something else, but I have to thank you, what you have been doing for me. Without you I would be still there in the cove with no one the wiser.*cough*”

Without preamble, he started to shake his head,” I wasn’t glowing, that’s just ridiculous.” He’s never seen a wizard or a witch glow to even the most extreme spells. It was only the wand….. He didn’t have a wand this time, he didn’t have the same medium, the usual wand glowing was all... him this time. He looked down fast after he realized this, then right back up, “Are you serious?”

“Without a doubt, it was the most serene moment I’ve ever witnessed, better than what I usually have to deal with *cough*.”

“Here lay down, you still don’t have enough energy to be doing this,” he held her head as she fell back upon the pillow. Cradling his hands on each side of her head, she started cataloging all the bruising and he possible areas where she was handled by hands. “Daphne I need you to tell me, what happened there… Who did this to you and why. Please tell me,” Harry was almost begging at this point, it was the biggest question he was asking himself, even besides the questions at the bank. Nothing has been this important to him to find out, it was a second nature to protect her for some reason.

He supposed that’s why he was doing all this in the first place and not seeking help from anyone else, neglecting his run away situation, it was if he needed to be here to help. Something else was calling him and he wanted to answer.

She didn’t know how to answer that question. Honestly she was wondering if it all was a dream, they bound her up, hit her, cursed her, and didn’t ask a single question. What was the point? Was there a point? Or was it just a game.

“I……. I think… no I can’t. I mustn't think.” She started to stutter, it was if she wasn’t allowing herself to think about what happened. Was she obliviated or did she simply not want to remember. What did she owe to Harry though, probably everything, but that’s not the point. She shouldn’t have to owe him, even after everything, it was her business. But the subject that did attack her…. Had everything to do with Harry. Everything he did in his life down to a finite point.

They controlled him, down to the last breath.

Here he was even so.

Harry didn’t pressure her though, thank goodness. She would have cracked if she did. All the pain, the bumps and bruises, and she could speak a word or that would be his downfall. It’s a wonder how she was even here at all.

“I’ll tell you another time, Harry. It’s just *cough* too much night now.” The tears started up again. Flowing beautifully down her mangled and blemished skin, it was ethereal that in itself.

Harry nodded to her and got up, an unknown look came across his face that even he didn’t understand. He had a feeling it was bigger than a simple vendetta against Daphne. The curse she was under was there to let herself rot and be conscious the whole time. It was diabolical, the whole thing.

In time he was sure it could come to light, either the person will come back to finish the job and lob off her head or she would tell him or another in passing. The one thing he didn’t want was for it to go to the grave. There are some things you shouldn’t keep to the chest.

Anyhow, he sat back down on the couch. She needed more attending to, but he knew she wouldn’t let him leave. Starving for any attention at all, for a person to be in the same room. He did the same thing.

“Dobby.” He softly called.

A loud pop reverberated through the room and Dobby the house elf appeared. Both Harry and Daphne were used to the random pops coming in and out of Hogwarts or at home in Daphne’s case. So when a huge wail came from the elf, the both of them were startled.

Dobby was down on his knees speaking some kind of gibberish, bowing on and off. Harry was waving his hands trying to get him to stop, there was so much blushing on Harry’s part that he even forgot about the other rooms occupant.

Daphne was having the time of her life watching the scene play out in front of her. Never has a house elf done anything like this in her presence, how Harry got him was beyond her.

“Dobby… Dobby. DOBBY…. Please calm down. What’s wrong are you alright?!?!?!”

“Why yes, Mr Harry Potter Sir. Nothing is better than being with you Sir!, Dobby was just worried about you is all Sir. When Dobby found out that Mr. Harry Potter was missing, Dobby didn’t know what to do!”

“What do you mean found out, Dobby?”

“Mr. Harry Potter’s friends asked Dobby if he knew where you were Sir. Dobby Is Mr. Harry Potters house elf so I couldn’t tell them…. They did some bad things back at your house Sir…. Terrible things.”

“....Who did Dobby” Harry had no idea where any of this was going, Dobby was enrapturing him with his story. Who could have found out he was already gone? They never actually checked on him before, even if he was guarded the night he left, no one stopped him. At least his hood worked, or he’d being seeing more than one person looking to the Cauldron’s doors.

Dobby looked as if something was hurting him, Harry had no idea what to do. It wasn’t uncommon for Dobby to look hurt while trying to talk to him, try as he might, Harry can’t always stop the self harm that Dobby did.

A pained squall went through the room, it was to the point that Harry didn’t know what was happening anymore. “ Harry, someone is trying to summon him away without his consent. Your his master right? Has anyone else been given the ability to call on him at all???”

It was like at the bank all over again, but came even quicker than who was given the key. “It’s Hermione and Ron… They are the only other ones to call on him.” Taking a step back from Dobby, “Just let go please, It’s hurting you… but come back after, I do truly need you.”

With a tear down Dobby’s face he left the two back in the room again.

“What am I going to do…. Everything I’ve come to trust has done terrible things to me, and I don’t know why. I never did anything to anyone..”

Daphne honestly didn’t know how to answer, her life was just as messy at the moment. Tying it all together for anyone, wouldn’t make sense in the slightest.

“Harry there is some things I have to tell you.” his head perked up in hopefulness, but she didn’t know if it would give that desired effect,” How much do you actually know about the first war, back with Grindlewald?”

“Only what’s taught in the History of Magic class, why?”

“Well I’ll tell you why, back then before the war he too was an alchemist that worked alongside Flammel and Dumbledore. The three of them were a formidable force in everything related o magic, as they each had their own talents and specialties.

The world was praising them for things they never thought possible. The research they conducted was on par with nothing else. But their main target was Dragon’s blood.

They were the ones to discover the 12 uses of Dragon’s blood, even if Grindlewald’s name was taken out of the textbooks. The testing for that section produced many anomalies, and they were blood thirsty for more… literally.

They took it upon themselves to inject dragons blood into their system, one trial at a time. This was all documented later on though. After no ill side effects occurred, they kept the trials running until there were physical abnormalities. Both Dumbledore and Flammel took to it well enough, it helped with magical production, healing and reaction speed. Unfortunately for Grindlewald it did not.

His body started mutating past the point of predictions, mostly his brain and hormones. What came after that was a monster in wolf’s clothing. He took to the Dragon’s blood more so than the other two, but unfortunately they noticed too late. His complexion was morphing, and his hide was stronger. It was obvious to see, he took on characteristics of the Dragon’s blood he loved so much.

Unfortunately for his soul bond, the blood ruined it without remorse. He and Dumbledore would have never come out of that situation still standing any how, their own fantasies neglected what magic was trying to tell them in the first place.

Alchemy was an interesting topic, but it only went so far. From what I heard from private teachings, Grindlewald and Dumbledore were soul bound. Because they both took the blood, it reacted with the bond and destroyed any trace of a connection.

They were ripped apart, their souls severed. 

Flammel was safe though, as his wife stayed far away from anything he did in his laboratory. They say there are 12 uses for Dragon’s blood, but that isn’t the truth. Do you understand?”

By the time she was finished, he was still trying to comprehend the fact that there was a cure for a soul bond. That… was basically impossible. When someone or a determined person ever tried to sever it, it never worked. Cutting off limb would only make it appear some place else… someplace you can get rid of without disastrous consequences.

The soul bond is what helps anyone through a tough situation, they are there to help guide you through life, your partner.

Harry knew his was, and never in a million years would he dream of destroying it. He actually wanted to make it work, as terrible as it might sound to others. He’s just getting so very tired of fighting, the grooming.

He knew very well since his first year and onwards that the end of the year battles could have all been prevented if someone actually cared to tell him the whole story, and he blames Dumbledore. But with this recent development, he doesn’t know what might happen.

“Has anyone else’s bond been severed?”

“ Nothing else is recorded in history there at least, but plenty of tried attempts to recreate it. Some people are just so desperate to be free of someone that could be so good for them…”

“Daphne, who is yours?”

“You first bub”, he had to hand it to her, she was still as slick as he knew her to be in school. Even if he’s never had this much interaction with her, let alone anyone else.

“It’s ……..”

“What was that, Harry?” She was almost teasing him, and by Merlin it was working. Now that he has had time to think of everything after all, he just really wants to have a conversation with his other half.

“Fine alright, It’s Zabini.”

“Sorry is that a last name, I’m sure I’ve never heard of it.”

“Blaise Zabini you cursed woman.”

She had a triumphant grin going from ear to ear on her face. It was like she won the muggle jackpot. But she was a witch of her word, promises ARE promises in her book.

“It’s Neville… Longbottom….”

To say that Harry was surprised would be a lie. He’s known for some time, and it wasn’t when he was bandaging her up, no it was when Neville himself came to him and confided in him. If he were being honest with himself, Neville was more of a friend than Hermione or Ron could ever be. The two of them are like fire and ice. One would say one thing and the two would expect another, it was honestly ridiculous. 

“I’m happy for you, he’s a good guy. My… best friend I’d say. Don’t look surprised, Daphne, It’s beneath you.”

He cracked a grin himself when she looked affronted just like he did. An eye for and eye. But from this interaction and a day together, he knew it would be hard to let her go.

“Pffff if only I was, the other two aren’t good for you”.

“Yeah I know. I just don’t know what to do. Does your highness have any suggestions.” He was sitting on the floor with his back facing the side of the bed, his head was turnt so he could look her in the eye as she was against the headboard.

“I can’t say I have experience, but what I’d suggest is to start living your interests without them. I’m sure you aren’t all Quidditch and DADA. That’d be the easy way to make new friends and ditch them to the curb. There are always more confrontational methods but I doubt our saviour would do that.”

“Please don’t call me that, It’s not fun nor has it ever been. But you are right, I have so many other things I want to do, not just continue my way to be an Auror. The fighting I’ve been doing on and off has never been what I wanted to do. Everyone around seems to be sizing me up to something bigger year after year and I’m done.

That’s why I’m here, I was going to see if I could stay someplace else, and with the money I have, It’d be a breeze. The reason why I’m such good friends with Neville is because his love for herbiology connects with my love of medicine.”

“Isn’t that ironic with how long you usually spend in the hospital wing at school?”

He gave a laugh and nodded. It truly was irony at its best. A front row seat to watching it happen on his own body, it’s better taking all the medicine when you know what it does. It settles him to know that it was safe and what he could expect from it.

“Strange isn’t it, my sense of humour has changed as well.” So have the voices in his head. He was no longer predicting conversations, Daphne set him at ease. To be himself was what he always wanted

Daphne looked to the wall for the clock, it was half past 6. It was amazing they spent the whole time almost talking. The situation had changed drastically from the day before, and her outlook on life is changing too. Never had she ever felt at ease with someone she’s never really spoken with before.

“We should probably eat again.” And at that the both of their stomachs grumbled in agreement, something greasy for him and something more hardy for Daphne as she gets used the the Bigger meals once again. For her it feels like Harry almost understands her situation in a way that made her feel sick. It was like he already knew the starvation and dehydration she was going through. The only thing he had a problem with was wrapping her leg.

While Harry contacted the kitchens, she knew that he had been starved before, she was smart for her age and could read in between the lines well. The small shoulders that she had to lie across gave way more than just looking. 

It wasn’t just her that had to get better, she resolved.

A few moments later, the food appeared and they dug into their plates with flourish. She had some rice and some apples with a side of toast - part of the BRAT diet if she remembered well. Harry really was looking into her well being, all she could do now was see him as a medi-wizard of some kind. He’d do well.

Thy each finished off their plates full to the brim. Calling an elf, their dishes were taken away in a flash. “Thank you Harry, I’ll pay you back for all this later.”

“Don’t bother, it’s all for a friend”

She was shocked honestly, she felt the connection, like any person. But she didn’t know that’d he’d extend a hand to a well known Slytherin. She was smart after all.

“Thank you”

After that, Daphne started to fall asleep, even after all the adrenaline. She couldn’t keep her head up any longer and passed out. While he slept, Harry looked after she face and cleaned up the extra puss and infection out. Replacing the cloth, he set out to look at her leg. Checking to make sure all the wrap was still secured, he grabbed a pain potion and the last phial of blood replenishing potion. Giving it to her while she slept, he set aside all the mess they made throughout the day. Banishing the mess away with a wave of his hand, he slipped on his jumper once more.

He needed to get more potions before she woke up because she wouldn’t let him leave her sight. So out he went to Tom once more. First booking the room for another week, he then asked for Tom to open up the alley.

Tom looked at him oddly for a moment and asked Harry, “ Haven’t you heard?, Diagon is closed… Death Eaters, they raided everything in the Alley.”

Harry swore under his breath. He didn’t know what to do from here, the only other place he could go to was, who was he kidding he couldn’t go to Knockturn, that’s a death sentence. But Daphne, she needed the medicine.

He was in a very precarious position, Tom was waiting for him to respond, so he gave an awkward hooded frown, “ What did they get from it.”

“Nothing, that’s the problem, they just destroyed as much as they could before the Aurors came and chased them out. I’m surprised you didn’t hear it, there were explosions everywhere, boy.” Tom gave the shake of the head and walked away.

Harry thought of when there could have been any explosions, but nothing came to mind. The only instance where they might not have heard it was trying to release Daphne from the curse. It must have been it. The whole thing honestly was crazy.

While he looked to Tom once more, his mind was spinning of so many possibilities. Since the raid, it wouldn’t be hard to assume other underage kids had to use magic to get away, and with the quantity of spells, they wouldn’t notice a few more.

He took out his wand while approaching the brick wall, hoping for the best, he tapped the bricks in the familiar pattern. Watching them open up was like a horror film. The loud and obnoxious alley was torn down like rags. Buildings were still on fire and some bodies littered the street, friend and foe alike.

It was dystopian, but Harry had to carry on to get to the other Alley, the one that looks like this everyday regularly. Jumping from spot to spot, the next building that came up was Gringotts, not surprisingly, it was still pristine. He guessed attacking wizards and Goblins were two totally different things.

On his way to the other alley, he had to dodge one or two Aurors. He was glad he did, if he decided to loot the shops, he would have been found quicker than anything. The smoke from the fires would have made it worse for him in the long run too, he wasn’t doing that well with his ribs and risking his lungs was not the best idea.

So here he went, at the top of the black steps. Quickly he started to glide down them to the nearest apothecary, the signs were not the best description, but he managed to dodge the traffic and walked in bee-ligning to the phials he needed. Ignoring the store clerk, he started looking through the potions and deciding which ones would be better when the tell-tale tinkle of the door opened up again behind him. 

He had no idea who it was, so he carried on his way minding his business. One after another the door tinkled in and out over and over again. He knew he was wasting time there, he just needed to find the last of the nerve repair when a voice spoke behind him.

“You know the potion you’re looking for is on the other side of the store, Mr.Potter”. It was low enough that only he and the person speaking could hear it. He was like a deer in the headlights, his heart started racing faster and faster until he turned around, already knowing who it was.

The regal cane was still doing as well as the last time he saw it was in the department of mysteries. Looking up to the face, icy grey eyes was staring right back. His hood was of no use anymore, he thought maybe that he could get away without anyone seeing him at all, his luck ran out with the Malfoy patriarch that found him. In Knockturn Alley of all places.

Still frozen in the spot, Lucius turned around and started rummaging through a shelf and returned with three phials. “Administer this for three days. Right here is three doses. Be careful with them.” Harry by far was making the biggest fool of himself, he took them, but studied the label and shuffled past the Malfoy to find out where it came from just in case.

“I take it it’s not for you, Young Lord. You seem too well put together to need it, so I wonder in all the stars who it could be.”

“It’s none of your business about what I’m buying Mr. Malfoy, If you will excuse me, I have to make a purchase.” side stepping him, he walked up to the counter, and looked the sickly gross man in the eyes and nodded when he asked was it all he needed that day. After everything was rung up, a sheet of paper was placed in front of him from behind. By the time he realized what had happened, all the products were packed away and shrunken by the clerk.

“Mr. Potter you be careful now. Times are changing, choose… your side soon.” and with that, he walked out with a tinkly noise leaving any mark that he was there to begin with.

 

With that foreboding remark, he hurried his way back up to Diagon, and then eventually to the Brick way after dodging more Aurors than before. Walking up the stairs, he started to feel lethargic.

After giving Daphne her potions for the night and tucking her in. He inhaled his with a glass of water to follow. By morning the nutrient potion he gave the both of them should kick in. Grabbing the other quilt be laid down to sleep, not being able to get Malfoy out of his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The band that got me through all this was Three Days Grace, it's outta this world.
> 
> I plan on updating again on Friday or the weekend, so keep tuned and don't be afraid to give those Kudos and comments.


	4. The Manor and Bar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, I had some other things going on. But here it all is, the newest and prettiest chapter yet I think. Mistakes are all mine, they are my children. Comments and Kudos don't be shy

The days following finding Daphne, became a welcome routine. They helped each other keep the silence and loneliness at bay. They conversed about topics ranging from their favourite ice cream flavour all the way to how they style their hair.

Harry took it upon himself to care for her while she was healing, the many potions she was taking to heal, could not be mixed without serious consequences. So as that was happening, he had to rewrap her leg multiple times, care for the lacerations on her face, and the multitude of bruises that were all over her body.

Once or twice he caught hint for her soul mark that sprouted from the lower regions of her back, and never once did he question the match. It was like that most of the time, each person's quirks always mirrored or complimented each other. And from his many years of sharing a room with Neville, they could snore happily together….. Away from him.

But it wasn’t all roses and daisy's, their pasts and who they socialized with on a daily basis, seemed to be a topic the both of them were avoiding, be that embarrassment or secrecy. Neither could tell.

The unspoken truce was never once broken, even after a month of staying in the Leaky Cauldron together. Of course getting another room to suit their needs, Harry refused to stay one more night on a couch when they realized they wouldn’t be leaving each other soon.

It was a double suit with a small sitting area, with the very same couch that was in the other room. A horrendous faded yellow that seemed to be almost corduroy in texture. Wasn’t the most pleasant. 

Harry was filtering in and out of the of the room every so often while Daphne slept. She still had some problems with being alone but was coming very far along, even if she didn’t admit it. She sort of branched on to Harry in a sort of dependance that he understood. His friends were always there for him when he got on the train every year, he’d latch onto them tighter and tighter. That was a problem though, he was sure now that he thought about it, that they knew he would do that. The dependance that stemmed from their perceived saving, made him reliable to a fault when they were in trouble, caging him in from others, fighting to the death to save them and the school every year.

But that was neither here nor there now. He knew he could never walk back into their arms. Not with Dumbledore stealing from him and pulling everyone’s strings. If they knew it or not.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Around August 26th, he deemed her leg feasible enough to walk out into public. It was also been too long since he was at the bank, it would give her some exercise, and let him figure out what else Whygnot dug up from the many folders he last saw.

Harry also had a lot of time on his hands in the last month, so he read the summary every so often. What he saw, had him shaking in anger. Daphne always walked in on him when a book or two would hit the wall, she could always calm him down with a cuppa and his inability to throw anything at her.

The summary was foreboding, while technically nothing was taken out of the account, nothing was added to it. The financial situation of both the Black and Potter families are not of which the Weasley family is used to let’s say. 

The interest that would have accumulated over time, was a small fortune. About 789 493 galleons 68 946 sickles, and 24 890 knuts. It was enough to buy a large property and all it’s furnishings in the Potter vault alone. The Black vault was a whole other story.

All that money was missing, just above 2 million, if the counts are correct and he had no doubt in this world that they weren’t. The only people who had access were Molly Weasley and Dumbledore. All that money was missing and they are the only ones to blame. Where was any sense of morality in that, stealing from a child since he was brought to this world. It was too much for him, so he leaned on Daphne for the time being.

She was used to all the language that was in the document, so she was privy to a heist on a massive scale. After throwing a book herself, Daphne made it a mission to help him, and it wasn’t just the life debt that she owed. They became close in that month, and be damned if their new friendship would crash.

So as they walked to Gringotts, it was more than a mission at this point. It was vengeance that Harry wanted, but Daphne cultivated.

“Hey, how about we get the rest of your school stuff… It doesn’t seem you will be getting yours back.”

“Harry I’m not going to let you do that, it doesn’t feel right. Plus it’s super expensive to get 6th year books- there’s just too much for you to get for me to feel comfortable.”

“Nonsense, with all you’ve been doing for me, all those transactions. I’ll be getting it back and then some. Please don’t worry,” and with that, he ruffled her hair for a jest. She didn’t take kindly to it at swatted him away, still filled with trepidation. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While they were walking up to the main staircase of the bank, they were out of breath. All for the distance they just had to run and hobble.

As soon as they passed Ollivanders, they ran face first into Moody and Tonks. As they fell right on their arses, both their hoods fell back. A sickly feeling fell through both of them when the Auror and the retiree recognized them.

They rolled over on the ground trying to gain traction from the two’s grabbing hands. “HARRY, BOY GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT.” it was a thundering roar that overtook the alley garnering everyone’s eyes from all directions.

If the wizarding populace didn’t know that Harry was there, well they did now.

Dodging them to get out of view, he had to let Daphne rest on his shoulder. She was never meant to run, or even try for that matter for another week after many more potions. Besides that, she hasn’t stood up for more than a half hour at a time without taking breaks. What ever happened to her leg, it was more than a simple fracture and a break.

“Harry… I don’t know if I can do this. They’re scaring me…. What do they want?!?”

“I don’t know, I really don’t. I ran away the day before I met you, and my friends haven’t seen me since. But I don’t trust them, Merlin forbid they catch us. Come on, they are just around the corner now,” Harry said after he caught the two pursuers in the reflection of a stand mirror.

Grabbing her left arm and arranging her to only slightly stand, they took off taking as many back ways as they could, avoiding the only alley where they both knew was a dead end.

“Harry please come back, we need to talk to you! Harry!!!” Tonks wasn’t the all consuming anger that Moody was, he might have approached her if she was on her own, but the huffing and puffing man beside her changed his mind.

The safety that the street corner provided for their two small bodies, gave them time to grab a massive cloak off a stand while the clerk was looking away. Applying it so that Daphne’s back looked like a hunch, they started in a slow pace than what they did. 

It was a scorching heat under the cloak, and the heavy breathing they tried to quell was almost overpowering in their ears. Harry was so nervous he started shaking. So what happened when Moody and Tonks came out of the last alleyway was the busy alley of Diagon. There was faces ranging from toddlers all the way to decrepit old wizards that looked like their last great discovery was before even the time of Voldemort.

There was no Harry and who ever the girl he was with, no leads, absolutely nothing. As the two were members of the Order, they couldn’t risk anymore exposure than what they already have. They were lucky most of what the confrontation was was in the small alleys for all the shops along the side. It was a small mercy they could go back to Grimmauld Place with, and all the wrath was with losing Harry.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Breathing still uneven as they climbed the banks steps, they looked to the two Goblin guards and walked in. The bank was still as busy as the last time he walked in, no openings in lines and no hint to anyone else paying attention. Everyone was so worried about themselves that they would still miss Harry and Daphne with their hoods down, but they wouldn’t risk it.

With daphne leaning heavily on him, they both waited as patiently as they could for when one of the tellers would open up again. About midway in one of the lines though, another Goblin came from a doorway and walked onto the main floor right towards them. With a slightly louder step on the last, “ Follow me Young Lord and Heiress.”

Giving each other a quizzical look, they both followed the Goblin in through the door way from whence he came. “ Harry how do they know who I am?? I even have half my face gone, what gives?” Harry didn’t know how to answer that question, and the Goblin in front of him wasn’t keen on making small talk either.

It was peculiar though, Daphne hasn’t been here in months, and her face wasn’t in the best shape at the moment. It was very distinguishing though on the left side of her face, her scar ran from the middle of her eye brown, slicing from next to her eye and spider webbing from there. Her mouth couldn’t close like it once did from how the scar tissue on her top lip over lapping her bottom.There were multiple hollow shells in her face that could almost mirror the waterfall like effect it was like while he was still healing it.  
The both of them were very nervous while they followed the Goblin through the winding hallways of the bank. Just like like before, everything seemed to blend together until they couldn’t remember where they just came from. Eventually they did come to a big ordinate door that looked nothing like the last. When the door opened, they were greeted with the familiar face of Whygnot in Harry’s case.

“Harry who is this..”Daphne kept her voice low, but was comforted by the smile that perforated Harry. “Well he’s Whygnot, my accounts manager. All’s well I hope…” He lead off because while the Goblin was looking better, it might not be the same for him.

“Yes, Young Lord, everything is going splendidly. Why don’t you sit down and we will discuss the details,” with a sharp grin, he waved out long coiled fingers towards the two robust chairs in front of him.

“I do hope you read the summary because what your about to hear will come of more of a shock,” after a nod”, well while I was organizing the outflux of the interest, I found that while the money was used to buy things ranging from objects to services, most often then not, the money was used to buy products from stores that house traditionally light families. 

Those families one way or another always bought stock in one single place, I was able to trace all of it back to an account called the Shell Cottage. No one has lived there in some time, since just before you turned 5, Young Lord. But it was still in the care of the Weasley family. 

Since then, the Cottage has spent about have of it’s savings account. That’s well over a million galleons. But it’s not clear who owns the account, no one has come in since it was set up, and mysteriously the record of who did, is missing. 

What we do know is that it’s still in the Weasley family, and you are able to incite the retrieval of it all, with recompense later. Is that what you would like to do, Young Lord, they would not know it’s you because technically the two accounts were never connected.” After Whynot was finished, there really was only one way. It would be satisfying to get back at them, and he had to admit, they were clever, but for what ends, he didn’t know.

“Hey Daphne,”

“Hmm,”

“Are you going home….”

“I-I… No, I won’t.”

“Whygnot, I want you to set up a separate account for Daphne. Transfer all funds, and when we get the rest, those too.”

Daphne almost had a heart attack, she turned around and looked into Harry’s eyes. Reaching over, she held his hand,” Thank you Harry, I can never repay you in this lifetime or the next.”

“You don’t have to, you’ve been helping me just as much. It’s me who should be thankful, you’ve given me a friendship that’s not comparable to anything else.” Harry gave a quick nod to the Goblin, and papers started to fly. Snaps were resounding in the room, and within 10 minutes everything was finalized.

It was moving so fast for her. She knew she could never go home with the amount of time she was missing, everyone would be too suspicious. Especially her father, that man was in two many circles. It was almost insidious the connections he had.

With what Harry is doing for her, she knew her life there was done, but nothing was tied off. She would walk into the wrong spot at some point, and she wouldn’t come out.

Signing her name onto the account and giving a quick validating Lumos. They were done. This time though Whynot didn’t wave them off. “ Young Lord, you have been in the Leaky Cauldron for far too long. How do you feel about setting up one of your homes, now that we have your finances organized, I can introduce to you the estates that belong to both the Potter family and the Black family, of which are both most ancient and noble.”

It looked like Harry was about to ask some very unintellectual questions, so Daphne looked to Whygnot,” Could harry please have a summary of the estates they own please and their state of cleanliness.”

Harry looked indignant to that, still nodding though,” Ahh, what estate would you suggest, Whygnot?”

“Perhaps the original Black Manor in Ireland will be of use to you. The charms that lay there are old and powerful and has been in a state of time flux since. It’s like the old family has only been gone an hour. The Elves certainly help with that fact.”

Harry never had a home on his own, he’s always been with someone, either in the house or the room. Besides that, it came as quite the shock when Whygnot told him he had about 17 properties between the two families. He said about because those are the only one’s livable at the moment.

“Yeah- I’ll take it.”

“Very well, Is Miss. Greengrass going with you, I have to set up a Portkey and those details are important.”

Harry looked over to Daphne, “ I mean do you want to go with me, you don’t have to honestly. Your almost healed anyway so I.. Uhh..” He looked down and felt very awkward, this wasn’t a typical question anyone asked.

“You dummy, let’s be honest, we need each other at the moment, you wouldn’t know how to take care of a magical household if the instructions were in front of you. I might as well teach you if you let me, plus with your connections I might be able to meet Neville.” With the grin she gave, he said alright to Whygnot. The preparations were being made.

“I’m still waiting for your story about the alley you know, but I’ll wait till you feel safe. But now we will have all the time in the world to get ready for the new school year. So I guess we can go shopping until the Portkey is ready.”

Whygnot told them it would be finished in about 30 minutes to go through all the right channels, so off they went with a guide back to Diagon Alley. Remembering the details about Gringotts, he cast a quick Glamour over their faces so if the Aurors were still outside, they couldn’t recognize them even if they wanted to. If Moody got touchy, they were still underage so a well placed scream could go a long way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After purchasing a whole new wardrobe and school supplies for Daphne, she also bought a wand holster for her own left hand, and they were on their way back from also picking up Harry’s things as well. They had to finally cancel their room bookings, Tom actually looked sad at that.

Arriving back at the bank with their shrunken packages, the Portkey was ready. “ Hey Daphne, I should tell you I not the best per se with this type of travel. The only thing I’m good is flying.”

He started to wring his hands in his shirt, causing many wrinkles in the expensive fabric, Daphne as they were walking back to the office, put her hand on his, “ It will be fine, alright? I’ll be here and if it just so happens you fall off, don’t worry, I’ll laugh.”

Harry lightly shoved her away chuckling, still careful of her injury, but still amused all the same. “ Well thanks for that, If that ever happens to you, I’m gonna take a whole photo album full of it all. Let’s see who laughs then, huh.”

“We’ll see then won’t we.” It was a nice atmosphere between the two, a jovial reaction that are not common in their own circles.

As they came up to the office, the door was still as beautiful as it was an hour ago. Harry thought because maybe Whygnot took over his accounts, he might have moved up the Goblin hierarchy. He was glad he did, he deserved it for all the work he’s done for the missing money. Opening the door, he lead Daphne to the same chair she was in and sat down in his own.

“Ah, Young Lord, are you prepared for the journey?”

“I am Whygnot. Thank you for everything you have done thus far. It’s amazing,” Harry started to gush at that moment so Daphne took his hand in hers and grabbed the Portkey.

“We’ll be on our way Whygnot, and yes thank you, we will be up again most likely by the Yule season,” The Goblin nodded and snapped for the last time, a second later everything was a blur.

~~~~~~~~~

With two soft plops on the ground, they arrived at the Blacks ancestral manor. The scenery that surrounded them was nothing below astounding. The far plains that stretched out in all directions had trees littering from close to far. Where they were was a long drive that seemed was used to be used for horse and buggy.

Along the roads sides were masterfully built shrubbery and flowers that were well taken care of. Their eyes looked to the end, and in the distance, a Wooden mansion greeted them. The intricate workings of the wood allowed for it to feel full but empty at the same time. There was a staircase made out of a rolling marble that laid out more designs crawling up the sides of the house like a tree.

It was nothing he knew the Black family to be. Sirius was always held up in Grimmauld, it was a depressing scene. He didn’t know why the Blacks didn’t just stay here, it was the most beautiful thing he has ever seen in his short life.

There also appeared to be three visible floors, each with their own balcony or gazebo for the first floor. He also guessed there was a basement beneath everything as well. All in all, he knew this was perfect. Beyond even that.

“From what I know of the Black Family, they had a grey leanings more so than dark. Over the years, the call for darker magicks in the family took to them too well, and they turned out what they were today. I only know that because my great-grandfather was also a Black, it’s all a very complicated.”

“Interesting, I’ll have to talk to you more about the wizarding history more often, Daphne.”

“Sure, I wouldn’t mind.”

They started to walk up the long driveway. It took them awhile but it was worth it, the closer they got to everything, the more detail that was revealed. It was a whole other world coming up to the manor. 

The steps were still nice and finished and the door knocker looked new. Giving it a double tap, it opened. Looking down there was a House Elf just below their vision. The instance it looked at them, it started to squeal in merriment. 

“A new master for the Black family, oh Specky is so very happy, she is. I be’s the lead Elf’s for the Black Manor, Young Lord.”

It was a lot to take in but the Elf seemed genuinely happy to see him. From the depths of his mind, memories of Hermione’s SPEW research came up. The Elves needed a bond from the head wizard of the family to sustain themselves. It was a symbiotic relationship that worked for both parties.

“Hello Specky, my name is Harry James Potter. I was the godson of Sirius Black.” You could see it wasn’t exactly the information that the Elf wanted to hear, it does hurt the elves everytime a bond is severed, and it hit them hard when Sirius passed away, even if he probably didn’t know the house existed.

“Righty Young Lord, I’ll take youse things up to your beds. Miss….”

“Greengrass.”

“Youse can be on the third floor with Young Lord,” with a snap not unlike Whygnot, their belongings disappeared to a different spot in the house, “ I’ll be showing youse around, if youse need anything, Young Lord call Hermy, Greeny call Whispy.” They both said okay, and they were then on their way.

Specky took them to many areas of the manor, from the kitchens, both dining rooms ( luckily equipped with more recent cooking methods), a library bigger than Hogwarts’, the studies, relic rooms, potions laboratory, and finally the bedrooms. Along their journey, there were portraits every so often that introduced themselves as long gone Black Family members.

Each bedroom was equipped with standard belongs with room to spare if the occupant wanted to add. 

As they went down the final hallway on the third floor, Specky stopped at a door and snapped it open. Inside was a forest green scene with marble decals climbing the walls just like in the other rooms. It had a beautiful canopy bed and a darkened wood dresser. “This be’s Greeny’s room,” and another snap came by, and with it her items were placed into the dresser, trunk at the end of her bed, and a Slytherin emblemed poster on the wall she picked up as she was shopping.

“It’s beautiful, thank you Specky,” Daphne’s face was almost hurting with how much she was smiling lately, but she was happy and that was what mattered now. 

Specky started to blush herself, but fixed her image and beckoned Harry to follow her to the master Bedroom just diagonally from Daphne’s. He knew being master of the house would come with perks but he never thought that what he saw would be his. Leaving the Dursleys was the best thing to ever happen to him,

The room was also a green, but it was purposefully faded into a grey that fringed at the ceiling. The marble inlays was more subtle, but still as powerful that almost matched the black furniture that littered the room. Another canopy bed, dresser, desk, and a vanity table. He wasn’t sure who was the last Lord or Lady who resided here, but the decorations they placed were beyond.

After looking around for a few more minutes, Specky made his belongings appear and she bid him farewell until suppertime. Harry then walked back across the hall to see Daphne and how she was doing.

When he knocked, he heard an affirming grunt from inside. Pushing the door open, he saw her on her stomach on the bed, face first into a pillow. “If you wanted to suffocate there are plenty of better ways to do it ya know,” He was joking around but when her face turned, he saw hints of previous tears streaking her visage.

“What happened, are you alright??”

“Harry…. I should probably tell you know who attacked me…. It’s just eating me up inside.”

It wasn’t what was expected when he walked in, but if she was ready he would listen. He was here for her. Climbing up on the bed he lied down next to her.

Her breathing was uneven and she was copying the wringing of his hands earlier. It was a dream almost, the first time they met at school, neither could have imagined the end.

“My father, Harry, he has his fingers in too many pies. The Dark Lord as I’m sure you know… But also with the Order of The Phoenix. He’s just like snape, spying for the both of them, but considerably more well done, even I don’t know what side he’s on.

He took me into his study one day to tell me everything, he didn’t want to die and have everything he’s down be burnt away by the Aurors or the Death Eaters alike. It was the most difficult day of my life listening to him explain all the things he has done.

H-He thought he kept me safe from others knowing, he was wrong. I was in just as much danger as he was.

That day you found me in the alley….. Madam Bones came up to me looking for my father, and I honestly didn’t know where he was, he was missing for the past three days. She.. didn’t like my answer, she left me in that alley to send a message to my family and coincidentally the Dark Lord. But like I said, my father has too many connections for the Dark Lord to take it personally. 

He would still investigate it, that’s what I think the raid on Diagon Alley was, they didn’t take anything, and the only time they hurt anyone was when the Auror’s got in the way.”

It was hard for him to believe that Amelia’s Aunt would hurt Daphne, she was the head Auror for Merlin sakes!! She was upset about telling him all that she did, and there was definitely more things to hear. For the moment, he stroked her shoulder as she cried.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A darkened hood was walking down Knockturn, a slow stroll but it was predetermined. Passing corners and walking up stairs, they eventually came to a door with a rat sigil hanging above it.

Opening the door with their passive gait, it opened to a rickety old bar that had seen better days. The bartender wasn’t actually that bad off, looking to be around 30 or so he had a smooth bear and a permanent frown on his face.

The stranger walked up to a bar stool and sat down.

“Anything,” called the bartender.

“A Fire whiskey would be great, Remus”

“Of course anything for the owner of this fine bar, Peter ol’ boy,” With a wolfish grin, the past teacher set a shot down and started a conversation with the silver armed man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I hope some things are making sense, It's easy and difficult at the same time to put it all together. It's an ever changing puzzle, a story is.
> 
> The next chapter they will be finally going to Hogwarts and eventually the plot will carry on.
> 
> The bands that helped me were White Lies and Royal Blood, they are a good kick. 
> 
> Comments and Kudos ;)


	5. The train and revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, it seems my chapter schedule with be updated about once a week, I have exams coming up really soon, and while i'm confident, these are gonna be pumped out at a slower rate.
> 
> Thank you all for staying with me so far. I'm still figuring out how to set the story up so it makes sense. But you know, it only really comes with practice, so here we are.
> 
> Mistakes are my own, I nurtured them from youth
> 
> Comments and Kudos don't be shy.

The wind was blowing fierce against the window panes in Harry’s room, so loud it a woke him in the early hours of the morning. Groggily walking up to the window, he pushed over the curtains and looked over the scenery around him. There was a smattering of deer all over the grounds by the tree lines. It seemed there was a slight wind storm and the trees were giving shelter, it would probably go away in a bit if he waited, but Harry wasn’t going to.

He’s been in this massive manor for just under a week with Daphne, and things only seemed to get better. They’ve been exploring the rest of the grounds and finishing up their homework for the summer break. It all went in motions at this point, and the two of them were quite nervous for the coming year for various reasons.

They were both scared, since they were in different houses, they couldn’t keep the company they have been in for so long. The protection they sought in each other would disappear, but not totally. With him and Ron still sorta on the outs, he’ll be avoiding him and Hermione so no unnecessary rows start. It saddened him that they would go so far even after the Ministry, to not send him anything, to follow Dumbledore’s orders.

He wasn’t going to be going back to bed because today was September 1st. It was so nerve racking for him, he can only imagine Daphne as well, and speaking of which. He head over to the door of the room after stretching his arms, turning the knob, he crossed the hallway to give a few quick raps on the wood.

He was expecting her to be either disheveled or awake occupying her hands with a book, but when she answered, she walked out in full Hogwarts garb, looking further into the room, all her possessions were packed.

“Nervous too,” She was the one to break the silence.

“Yeah,” He ran his hand through his hair,” nerves are shot and the wind outside isn’t helping either.”

“Yeah it got quite strong a little while ago, do you want some help with your bags, cause I’ll be going downstairs for breakfast anyway.” Closing her door behind her, she fixed her tie, and at Harry’s nod, walked over to his room and opened it up.

As usual his room was a disaster, but she put that aside and opened up his dresser and collected all his books into a neat pile then sat down.” Wanna watch something cool?”

Harry hadn’t a clue as to where this was going but he went along and shrugged. Looking at him, she took her index finger and tapped five times clockwise around the lock on the chest. All at once his belongings levitated into the air and gently guided neatly into the chest. Harry for one was shocked, he always packed those blasted things by hand,” Are they all like that?”

“No they aren’t, just the new models. They finally figured out that kids don’t want to pack their things and someway realized they had solutions to that. Honestly it’s hilarious.” She gave a chuckle and rose from her spot on the carpet.” Get your robes on, we should probably have breakfast before we head out, I don’t fancy the Cauldron Cakes from the trolly again.”

He had to agree, that junk was good once in a while, but he was getting so very tired of gorging himself every year on the train. A rounded breakfast should calm him and help him last until lunch.

Walking down the staircase, they arrived in the kitchen where the House Elves were already well on their way to making their food. From fruits, to grains, and dried pork, it was delicious. They hounded down on it and asked for seconds.

“Young Lord Harry Sir, should Specky collect youse things?” The older House Elf appeared out of thin air, looking excited.

“Sure that’d be lovely, Specky,” responded Harry, he knew the Elves would be put out once they left, but that would be with anyone not serving a master in so long,” are you all able to take care of the house until we get back for Yule?”

Specky and the two personal elves along with the rest started nodding voraciously, Daphne also looked to him and nodded in agreement. “We should be heading out with the Portkey in a few minutes, “ Hermy, Whispy, can you collect our things for us please so we can head out?”

A resounding yes from the two, their trunks snapped into place. Harry then picked up a silver medallion that they would be using this time around, leading the elves and Daphne behind him, he walked to the left of the expansive yard. The wind was still strong but not as bad as it was earlier. He situated his hand on his trunk and motioned for Daphne to do the same. “Ready?” “ Ready.”

Daphne then grasped the silver and murmured,” Kings Cross Station.” 

With a whirl they were gone. In another instance, they were safely on their feet with no tumble from Harry this time. Looking around and getting their orientation back, it seemed they were some of the first people who arrived for the 11 am train. It was quite early for their 8am, but they couldn’t any longer, it would be easier if people didn’t see them together and get a compartment. The less questions the better. 

Packing their trunks in the undercarriage, they walked off to the entrances and hopped on. Looking in one way and the other, they moved further down near the end so that less traffic would pass them. 

It wasn’t easy waiting there, the distraction of their books and staring at the designs of their wands could only do so much. The tapping of their feet was drowned out by others, their breathing was distorted as the older years filtered to the back of the train, people they have known for years passing and not noticing. 

They kept their faces to the outer window and avoided the gazes of the parents on the other side. Pretending to be anybody but themselves. It was the longest 3 hours they have ever experienced.

Eventually the clock struck and the train gave a blaring sound, the motion slowly came to rock back and forth. It was supposed to be calming, it really was.

Harry had no ideas as to what he would say to Hermione and Ron, after everything they have been doing, it was a miracle he hasn’t blown up in their faces yet. He flexed his hands and looked up,” What are you going to do when you see them?”

He was referring to the other Slytherins, no doubt that it got out she was missing. What was harder than speaking to them, was explaining why and how. Daphne was out in the middle of this battle now as much as he was. Dumbledore was ignorant, how his menstrations of his followers affected more than just the tide of war, but the lives of the families in it.

Daphne was raised to be everything that Voldemort looked for in a follower, in a way it was training for when she was supposed to be the perfect blood purist, a ‘natural’ with no one the wiser. 

“I’ll be how I’ve always been with them, until they ask… Which should be the second they walk in. I can’t tell them everything, but a …. Revised edition should be alright.” she gave a smile, and he looked her in the eye and knew it wouldn’t be alright. There was too much to believe and comprehend, a lie was the only thing that would work, but for how long?

~~~~~~~~~

Students were jumping back and forth from the compartments to see friends and make new ones. It kept them on a high as each new face passing could tell another and another until someone would turn up looking to catch up with them. 

The trolly lady walked by about an hour or so into the ride for lunch, with a gaggle of students following her every move. It was like vultures looking for their next snack, no matter how correct that metaphor was.

A knock on the door made them turn sharply towards the sound. The glass was blurred but on the other side, a single body was waiting for an answer. Looking to each other, Daphne went for the door and slowly opened it until the trespasser was revealed.

It couldn’t be said who the more shocked one was, Daphne or Neville when it was opened. They had made good of their unspoken plans to keep away from each other the past few years, it was uncanny how fast this happened when she said she wanted to see him again. “Harry, when I said it would be easy to see Neville again when I’m with you, I didn’t really mean right away..” She couldn’t take her eyes away even while she was talking.

Over the summer it was clear that Neville had grown into his awkward body. Now it seemed that he filled out and grew a foot or two. He had broad shoulders and a powerful physique, he looked like what the Longbottom Lord should be. And he was just as enraptured with her, her blond tresses and small form almost called out for him to hold and protect. It wasn’t what he was used to, these emotions, but he knew exactly why he had them.

“H-hello, Daphne…. Harry.” 

‘Still as shy though’, she ended up blushing when he said her name, and it shook her out of her stare. She turned around on the heel to go sit back down across from Harry. “Would you like to come in, Neville…” She cursed her small voice, it felt right to say his name, almost wondering why she never said it after that first day.

“I’d love to,” This time it was more powerful and confident as he flashed Harry a quick smile and sat next to Daphne, just so that she wouldn’t be out of view at anytime. “How was your summer, Harry?”

“...Better than it has ever been, found a stray along the way. Haven’t been able to shake her.”

Neville knew how bad Harry’s summers have been while under the care of the Dursleys, it was never a secret. He was almost in the same boat, his great uncle would just come short of torture to see if he had magic, they both never really had great childhoods. Must have been their birthdays, giving a chuckle to both that and Harry,” Oh a stray, that’s terrible. Hope she was alright?” turning to give Daphne a look, it egged her on to speak.

“Yeah well I needed a change of scenery and Harry was able to oblige,” straightening her pleated skirt,” She is still as wild as ever.” It was as if they had been friends for years, she still felt self conscious but that was just for Neville, for obvious reasons.

“That’s good, nothing will ever be boring then,” Neville didn’t try to insinuate anything but it just came flowing out of his mouth,” I-ah… Harry, Hermione and Ron have been looking for ya….. You don’t want them here do you.”

“No. I don’t, and quite frankly they can shove it.” He kept a passive face but he felt nice finally sharing his feelings with Neville, they had always talked about things here and there, but he was never forthright.

“Good, just letting you know, their near the front of the train, where you usually are…”

“Not anymore, I’m fine right here. I hope I don’t have to see them until much later, but they are like Bloodhounds I swear.” He was just so exasperated, not even realizing they wouldn’t know what that was, the dogs.

Turning back to the window, he let out a sigh,” Ah sorry, I’m sure you don’t want to hear me complain,” looking back at them, he clicked his tongue,” Can you help me hide from them for a while, just until I’m comfortable… please?”

“Anything for you Harry,” readjusting the way he was sitting, Neville pulled his right leg over to cross with his left and moved his right arm over the top of the seat,” Need anything else?”

“A friend for a while.”

“Not a problem.”

They set into the compartment for another few hours and started to play some wizarding games like Exploding Snap. Daphne kept winning and the boys called foul. They were laughing and having fun, something the three haven’t had a lot of in a while.

People were still coming back and forth in the corridor, but the thought of anyone catching them was out of mind. Nearing 5 o’clock, they took only a few snacks from the trolly, using Neville as a decoy. They sat down to laugh some more. 

With a slam the door to their room was opened like a whip. On the other side stood Draco Malfoy. Time seemed to stop for them all, Draco looked each of them in the eye and stepped back for a moment. Looking to his left for further up the train, he called,” Found them.” Turning back to the three occupants, he walked in and sat down on the other side of Harry. It wasn’t clear who he was talking to up until Theodore Nott and…. Blaise Zabini walked in like they owned the place.

The original three had no idea what to do and when Blaise sat down next to Harry, you could see the tension in his shoulders. Saying you wanted to see someone and doing it not under your own control are two completely different things even if they had the same result.

Blaise rose his arm from his side and mirrored Neville in stance to rest his arm behind Harry, it caused him to squeak ever so faintly. No one else heard it but Blaise certainly did and gave a light smirk.

“So Daphne, this was where you have been held up. Why didn’t you come get us hmm?” While speaking, Draco didn’t have a posh attitude around him, it was a calmer sort of atmosphere. Harry had never seen him not try to garner a fight before, every last detail and punctuation of his words always had a double meaning. It was a front that was attached to Draco, it was him.

“I’ve been here the whole time, maybe if you weren’t as blind as Harry you would have found me.” Giving a laugh to the two of them, she felt Neville tense behind her as well, but she wasn’t able to see it. Theo pushed them closer together and her peripheral wasn’t that good. She leaned in behind her to rest against Neville, she wanted to know what he was doing and refused to believe it was for anything else at the moment.

Neville looked to her and adjusted so it was more comfortable,” Yeah Harry how is your vision, do you think we need a new seeker this year?” 

Harry had just about enough,” Hey!! You are not getting rid of me cause of my grubby eyes, through hell or high water I’ll get that bloody snitch,” He pointed a look to Draco so he’d know as the Slytherin Seeker,” Hmph.” Harry looked more childish in that instance, not caring who saw him.

Everyone around him gave loud and hearty laughs. The all powerful Harry Potter whining about his eyesight, it was hilarious. Sitting further into his seat, he brought his knees up and held them. 

“Don’t worry, tesoro, we can fix your eyes if you like once we get to the school, I’m sure Madam Pomfrey has some potions or at least Snape,” Harry looked to Blaise with a little more than a blush on his face from tesoro, but also confusion.

“What do you mean I can fix my eyes there?” 

All of the others looked to him in question, “ Harry, you do know that you can fix your eyesight yeah?” Daphne was the one to ask, she was almost sure he knew. A lot of wizards do take the potion, but some don’t care, that’s what she always thought about Harry. It seems though it wasn’t by choice but by ignorance.

“No one ever told me,” He held his knees in a different way now, Blaise reached down from above to wrap his arm around him, Harry seemed to be indifferent so he pulled him in close. 

“Then we will get it for you, tesoro.” The way Blaise said it, spoke of a promise.

It felt almost too soon, but Harry clung to that. He smiled up to him and got one in response. “Harry, we’re going to go see Pomfrey after this, we have to get that sorted out. She should have been the one to offer you the potion, with all time you have spent in the hospital wing, it’s doubtful she simply forgot about that.”

“I honestly can’t remember if she ever told me, It would have never left my mind though, it’s always so annoying wearing my goggles and glasses together, and besides that, people keep mistaking me for my dad 20 years after he would have looked like me. It’s ridiculous.” Harry too seemed exasperated, it was a wonder no one ever did tell him, even Hermione. She was always up to date of different ways to help him each year as he always seemed to fall into trouble. She should have known at the very least, he didn't expect for it be her job in anyway, it was just concerning.

“What about Hermione, Harry?” And after Neville’s question, he stayed silent, he didn’t know the answer. Neville gave a firm line to his lips and sat back to rub his brow. “It’s sabotage at this point, you’re a fantastic Seeker and you are being limited because you never thought to ask and no one ever told you. I’m sorry myself,” He gave a downed look,” If I knew, I would have told you much, much sooner.”

“It’s alright, really, I should have thought about it, magic is for almost everything. Imagining it never came across.”

“I wonder why that is, the muggle raised boy should have shot for the stars.” This time it was Theo’s turn to give some input. Surprising him more than the sound question, was the muggle part. He left it alone though, no need to pry and start something totally different to have it not end as well.

“I did at first, I really did, but I guess hanging around Ron really stopped me. He was never interested in those types of thing, whether it was for the money or something else. It never came up and I was distracted with other things as well throughout my schooling. You know, death and destruction.” It was a sarcastic response, but Theo didn’t take it personally, it really was a wonder how he was even here. Should have been dead long ago by anyone’s standards.

“We don’t blame you, tesoro, but others. It will be fixed.” Harry didn’t know if it was the slow drawl to his voice or the fact that Blaise was protecting him, but he knew that sentence meant more than just that.

Blaise wasn’t one to speak much as Harry has recently found out. He was quiet and used smaller sentences that still got the point across. He was more someone of physical action, speaking louder than words, that was important to Harry. A lot of people in his life always say one thing and do another. 

Blaise’s declaration was apparently the end of the conversation because all the Slytherin’s nodded and then carried on with other topics.

“Daphne, where did you stay over the break. I mailed an owl to you a few times and I never got a response?” 

“Yeah, sorry. I was spending it with Harry over the break, we ended up meeting one day in Diagon and hit it off. We actually became sound acquaintances after that, Draco.”

“I see, your father did mail me once. I told him that I didn’t know where you were. I guessed you were with Tracey.”

“I guess that wouldn’t be far off, but other circumstances made me have to leave the house for a while.”

It stopped the rest of the conversations once again, there could be a lot of different reasons that she had to go. Hang out with friends and have sleepovers with gal pals, but they all knew she didn’t have that luxury. Not with what each of their parents are in, besides Blaise coming from a grey family. 

They all knew what they were raised to do, no matter their reservations about the details that might change their lives. Each of the Slytherin parents had already mapped out a life for them, and it all really lead to one place. It was only if they were strong, that they could survive.

“I see, thank you, Harry, for taking care of her.”

“Er-... Your welcome,” Looking over to Daphne,” Anytime, really.” 

Daphne moved from leaning against Neville, reaching out to hold Harry’s hand,” Thank you… I’d be dead without you.”

She really did know how to attract the attention of the room, either way the others interests were piqued and Neville lightly pulled her back and looked into her eyes,” Was that why you almost turned grey?!”

She looked him in the eyes, very aware of all the words surrounding them. Touching his arm, she gave a nod,” He saved me from an… untasteful place.” She and Harry both gave a shiver, it wasn’t really a memory that they liked to play out.” I was attacked and Harry found me a few days later, he was able to heal every part of me.”

“Where were you?”

“I was in Diagon Alley, on one of the side streets, it was completely by chance that Harry found me because of a cat. I was hurt…. Very very hurt, and so very close to the edge,” Looking to Neville,” I held on for so many different reasons, but I came to many conclusions too. This year I’m gonna be myself, no damn Ice Queen like you guys call me, I can’t stand be alone any longer… “Looking to her house mates,” I just need a calm year, care to join me?”

The boys nodded,” I can’t take the expectations right now, I just need to relax and watch time go by for a moment.”

“We’re here for you, amico.” Blaise was the one to Affirm what she wanted, the past few years was expecting too much from them. Their parents and the Dark Lord, even if Harry and Neville didn’t really know that side of them, doesn’t mean they don’t have their own who has just as many expectation because of who their parents were.

Neville would give Daphne time too, he felt he needed to know why his soul bond almost died and he wasn’t there, the whole story. It was clear that wasn’t it, who was the one to attack her? Why was she out there? And what else did she know?

He knew eventually that they would be brought together though, it was only a matter of time. The magic surrounding the bond would only work if the two or more members of the party were accepting of the magic, then it would grow. Neville was from the start, and had never felt the sense of protectiveness like he felt now. He knew she was only coming to accept the possible future, he was always hopeful, he wasn’t going to follow her around about it though. He was taught to never force it.

She seemed calmer too, all those years of passing her in the hallway with her head held up, he knew there was so much more to her than her family name. If she meant to have a tranquill year, then he was going to be right with her the whole time, the panic of the adults had him in a tizzy too.

Reaching down to rub her back where his own mark was, the both of them settled down from an emotional high. Her retelling of what happened did struck a memory within him. 

It was foggy but he could remember his grandmother speaking to an Auror about a month ago about Diagon, it could simply be nothing or be all about something else. It wasn’t common that there were visitors in his estate, he never questioned it until now. But with nothing else to go on, its strings in the wind.

~~~~~~~~~

Exhaling as he dropped off the train, Harry looked into the sea of other students. While there was a height different, it was only with the younger years. His 5’4 frame was great for flying, but not so much for making his way through others. 

It seemed he didn’t have to worry about that, as Blaise took hold of his hand and made way through it all. It was fantastic to see, a train of 6th years making the rest part like the red sea. He laughed at the imagery and carried on, oblivious to how some people were staring at him and the silly grin on his face.

He had a great time on the train, honestly the best he has ever been on, he became great friends with everyone there. Draco he wasn’t so sure about as his father’s parting words bounced around his head, but he carried on and made a hand shake with Draco. After all, he was family from a few lines ago. Their great-grandfathers were brothers on the Black’s side and that was good enough for him at the moment. Closest thing he had now.

He wasn’t to go blindly into it, each and every person had their own motivations and he hasn’t known Draco long enough to feel comfortable using his first name. It still slid off easier as Malfoy, it was something else he had to work through.

Now the 6 of them came up to the carriages, and just like the year before, the Thestralls carried them with the grace of no other. He walked up to the front and pet them like he did the year before, Luna taught him a lot in such a short time. He would have to meet up with her again this year, after the big catastrophe, he hasn’t seen her really since. Rectifying that would be second on his plans after the infirmary, just in case too, he will get Daphne checked.

So many plans running in and out of his head, Blaise called him in to the carriage, blushing at forgetting where he was. They looked to him curiously, “What where those horses out there, I’ve never seen them before,” Draco was the one to break the question. 

“They’re called Thestrals, you can only see them if you have seen death… and understand it for what it is.”

It was definitely sobering for everyone inside,” That’s how we got to the Ministry to ah- fight some Death Eaters..”

No one there was stupid, they all knew who was there that night. Every last person.

The ministry afterwards was forced to admit the return of the Dark Lord, the teens knew better, it was since the Triwizard tournament that they were back, their households in this time have never felt the same strain. Before they were all born, Voldemort was so much more saner, so much more. And when he came back, the monster that came back was disgusting. Their parents were the ones kissing his robes and licking his feet.

“Yeah we know about it… it was in the paper.” It was an easy way out of the conversation, thankful for it too, Harry was uncomfortable because of who he was in there. Rubbing is left hand, his thumb glided against the scar. 

Blaise noticed the movement and took his own left had in his right. From this angle he could see the name scrawled against the skin. A blemish that wasn’t quite so. His name was imprinted there to never come off. Just like Neville, Harry’s name on his turned a dark grey more times than what he would want. Holding the right hand tight, the rest of the ride up to the castle was quiet. A lot of them were thinking so many different things.

“Harry before we arrive at the castle, I wanted to ask you. Did you claim your Lordships?” Neville came to ask.

“I did, August 1st.”

“I asked because Dumbledore was missing from the Wizengamot meetings since, you had him as your proxy yeah?”

“No I didn’t, I haven’t organized anything with my seats since I claimed them. You said he was my proxy? That fucker.” Harry cracked a single knuckle and pressed his feet further into the floor of the carriage.

“You wanna know something Neville? Never once did anyone tell me of my Lordships or any of my familial belongings, they hid it all from me.”

Neville was shocked, so was the rest of the party there. “ We will continue this at the pear.” Harry gave a nod to him.

Daphne explained the rest to the other Slytherins as they were getting off the carriage to walk inside the entryway, the entrance to the kitchens were not very well known. “I’ll need your guys’ help for this… If you don’t mind.”

Blaise walked up to Harry and gave a look that spoke of much more, “ Il mio amore, that sounded very… vengeful of you. We will meet you at the pear tomorrow night so we can organize your hectic life. Tesoro, if you need anything at all, ask any of us. Neville will look after you,” Giving a pointed look to said person, he carried on,” We can’t miss the sorting of the little ones can we?”

It was the most that Harry has ever seen Blaise speak, even to the rest of the Slytherin’s, he came to find out that he really liked his voice, it was just as big of a surprise as well. But getting over that, he was ready to let others into the fold about what was happening to him.

Lucious said he had to pick a side, here he is.

~~~~~~~~~~

The hall was as beautiful as it was every year. Charmed to look like the night sky once more, he sat down next to Seamus with Neville following on the other side. Dean was in front of him with a few others from his year. Almost everyone had arrived besides notable the two that have been causing the most trouble.

Catching up with the guys, he didn’t notice until he felt a tap on his left shoulder. “Harry, wanna sit a bit further down and catch up?” Hermione really knew how to pull his strings, if she had anything left to pull, her eyes spoke of volumes past what he actually knew.

“I’m fine for the moment thanks, I just got here to talk to the guys,” turning around, he started talking to Dean about the Proper way to clean a wand, something he learned from Cedric a few years prior. It wasn’t an interesting topic in the least and Dean knew that too. It was more than for technicality sake, as they continued on, the two behind them gave up trying to pull him away from his place at the table. Neville actually laughed, playing it off for a joke. Which it really was.

Tapping from the front of the hall caught all the students attention. It was Dumbledore in all his fuschia glory. “Hmmhm, Can we all stand for the school song.”

Once again, year after the year the ratty old thing always made the first years question their sanity. Harry wasn’t sure it could be classified as a hat anymore, spelled by Rowena or not, they needed a new one.

Children spread from table to table making friends or catching up with others they already knew, you could tell who was raised in this society or not. Every year was the same, siblings telling their younger ones lies about the sorting and the amazement of the food.

That was Harry’s focus right now, gobbling down everything a sedate pace, but still fast. He didn’t eat much on the train, trying to avoid the junk, but felt it was alright to pig out now.

What Harry didn’t know was, a few sets of eyes were watching him and studying. ‘This year seems to be different, there will have to be adjustments for this, and soon’. It wasn’t certain of who it was. The person who cared for the boy, the one who guided him to the bank, the one who helped him grow, ‘The one who will ruin it all’.

~~~~~~~~~~~ 

 

After the feast, Harry set out for the 7th floor and the picture of Barnaby. It wouldn’t be easy for him to face the two head on. It just wasn’t the right time, he felt sick to his stomach of confronting them with what they all did. With little proof on Hermione and Ron’s part, there just wasn’t much to go on. Everything he has was against Dumbledore. Every last drop, it still was not enough.

He was here, a parentless teen with a set of changing morals. A soul bond that might lead him down so very many dark roads. He was at a crossing, go into the forest with the wolves he has come to know, or the path that has been laid out.

He didn’t know what to do, what he really needed was to talk to Moony for some advice. Before he goes down the the kitchen tomorrow night, some words of encouragement from that furry marauder was what was going to pull him through.

Now all he had left to do was last in a castle controlled by the enemy. Can’t be too hard, can it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hoped you enjoyed the chapter, there will be more soon in a few days so keep tuned. ;p
> 
> Bands that helped me were Black Sabbath and the Tragically Hip, true gods.
> 
> Comments and Kudos, don't be shy.

**Author's Note:**

> I have plans for this story and I'll be updating in about two or three days time depending on my schedule, so keep tuned. Ideas are still filtering but I hope for the best.
> 
> The bands that helped me through this are Pop Evil and Citizen Zero. They are a good listen, see you next time.


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